Immature cancer cells in childhood rhabdomyosarcoma
The Role of Immature Tumor Subpopulations In Pediatric Rhabdomyosarcoma
Researchers are using advanced gene-level and computer analyses to find immature tumor cell groups that may drive relapse in children with rhabdomyosarcoma.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | St. Jude Children's Research Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Memphis, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11284094 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This project will analyze single-cell RNA data to identify immature tumor cell subpopulations in pediatric rhabdomyosarcoma. Researchers will use patient-derived tumor models in mice to see how these immature cells change with treatment. They will apply deep-learning methods to patient tumor data to link the immature cell programs to risk of relapse. The goal is to find molecular markers and networks that could signal which children are more likely to have resistant disease.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Children diagnosed with rhabdomyosarcoma whose tumor tissue and clinical data can be shared with the research team would be the ideal contributors.
Not a fit: People without rhabdomyosarcoma, or patients whose tumors cannot be sampled or shared, are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could help identify children at higher risk of relapse and point to new targets to prevent recurrence.
How similar studies have performed: Related single-cell studies in other cancers have suggested immature cell states can drive relapse, but applying integrated computational and deep-learning approaches specifically to pediatric rhabdomyosarcoma is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
Memphis, United States
- St. Jude Children's Research Hospital — Memphis, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Chen, Xiang — St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
- Study coordinator: Chen, Xiang
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.