Imaging to watch how a patient's tumor cells respond to treatments
Development and Pre-Clinical Validation of Quantitative Imaging of Cell State Kinetics (QuICK) for Functional Precision Oncology
This project aims to build a fast lab imaging test that watches individual tumor cells from patients so doctors can better choose melanoma treatments.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Utah State Higher Education System--University of Utah NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Salt Lake City, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11176241 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers are developing a method called QuICK that uses high-resolution imaging to track how single tumor cells change over time after exposure to therapies. The approach preserves tumor heterogeneity by using patient-derived cells and makes repeated observations to see which cell types survive or acquire resistance. The team will validate the method in lab models and preclinical settings to see if the imaging patterns predict response to immunotherapy versus targeted drugs in BRAF-mutant melanoma. If successful, the method could be moved toward testing on clinical biopsy samples.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are people with melanoma—especially those with the BRAFV600E mutation—or patients whose care teams can provide fresh tumor biopsy material for laboratory testing.
Not a fit: Patients without melanoma or those who cannot provide fresh biopsy tissue are unlikely to gain direct benefit from this preclinical project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could help predict which melanoma treatments a particular patient's tumor is most likely to respond to, guiding personalized treatment choices.
How similar studies have performed: Related ex vivo drug-sensitivity tests have shown promise, but this single-cell, longitudinal imaging approach is relatively new and not yet proven in patients.
Where this research is happening
Salt Lake City, United States
- Utah State Higher Education System--University of Utah — Salt Lake City, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Zangle, Thomas Andrew — Utah State Higher Education System--University of Utah
- Study coordinator: Zangle, Thomas Andrew
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 below.