Immune and tumor environment factors driving prostate cancer progression and response to androgen deprivation
Official title: Project 1: Investigation of immune and stromal factors that promote prostate adenocarcinoma progression and castration response
Funded at Columbia University Health Sciences · NIH-11312664 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A large NIH grant is exploring how immune cells and the tumor environment affect prostate cancer growth and response to androgen-suppressing treatments.
Quick facts
| Grant type | P01 program project |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Columbia University Health Sciences NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project start | May 1, 2022 |
| Project end | April 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $507,659 |
| NIH project number | 5P01CA265768-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11312664 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Men with localized or advanced prostate cancer who might benefit from improved understanding of tumor environment and resistance mechanisms.
✕Less likely to help
Results may not directly benefit patients who do not respond to current therapies or who do not participate in future translational studies.
What this research studies
This project uses advanced single-cell sequencing to study interactions between prostate cancer cells and surrounding tissue. It builds on prior findings in mouse models to map how immune cells and stromal components influence disease progression and resistance to AR pathway inhibitors. The aim is to identify microenvironment signals that could be targeted to improve therapy, including castration responses. The research will generate detailed cellular maps that may guide future therapies and biomarker development for patients with prostate cancer.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could lead to new ways to enhance hormone therapy effectiveness and slow cancer progression for patients with prostate cancer.
How similar studies have gone: Prior studies using tumor and microenvironment analysis have yielded actionable insights in other cancers and early prostate cancer work supports the potential of this approach.
Where this research is happening
-
Columbia University Health Sciences
New York, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Sawyers, Charles L. — Columbia University Health Sciences
- Study coordinator: Sawyers, Charles L.
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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.