Human duct model that mimics early breast cancer growth
Official title: In Vitro Human INtraDuctal (HIND) Model of Early Stage Breast Cancer Progression Heterogeneity
Funded at Georgia Institute of Technology · NIH-11313243 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project builds an all‑human lab model of breast ducts to show how early breast cancers, especially estrogen receptor–positive tumors, grow and interact with nearby cells.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Georgia Institute of Technology NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Atlanta, United States) |
| Project start | May 1, 2026 |
| Project end | April 30, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $396,406 |
| NIH project number | 1R33CA309789-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11313243 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Patients with early‑stage breast cancer, particularly those with estrogen receptor–positive tumors or those willing to donate tumor or normal breast tissue for research, would be the most relevant participants for this work.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with late‑stage metastatic disease or with cancers that are not hormone‑sensitive (for example many triple‑negative tumors) are less likely to receive direct benefit from this model.
What this research studies
Researchers will create inverted human mammary organoids in a high‑throughput 384‑well format to recreate the duct lining, cell‑produced basement membrane, epithelial stretch, and surrounding stroma without injecting cells as in mouse models. Human breast cancer cells will be placed into these iHIND models to reproduce the “replacement” and “expansive” growth behaviors seen in advanced mouse intra‑ductal (MIND) experiments. Advanced versions will add aromatase‑active epithelium and human adipocytes so hormone interactions relevant to ER+ cancers are better represented. The platform is designed for scalability to test many samples and to improve physiological relevance compared with standard animal models or simple cell cultures.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could speed up how well lab tests predict human responses and help guide better treatments for early, especially ER+, breast cancer.
How similar studies have gone: Mouse intra‑ductal (MIND) models have successfully demonstrated relevant early‑stage growth behaviors, but translating those behaviors to an all‑human, high‑throughput iHIND system is a novel advance.
Where this research is happening
-
Georgia Institute of Technology
Atlanta, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Takayama, Shuichi — Georgia Institute of Technology
- Study coordinator: Takayama, Shuichi
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.