Integrated framework to validate and quantify proteoforms in patient-derived ovarian cancer cells
Official title: IMAT-ITCR Collaboration: Integrated Computational Framework for Validation and Quantification of Intact Proteoforms in Patient-Derived Ovarian Cancer Spheroids
Funded at University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa · NIH-11566393 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A collaboration will combine advanced top-down proteomics with a new computational method to precisely identify and measure intact proteoforms in tiny samples from ovarian cancer cells.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Tuscaloosa, United States) |
| Project start | August 13, 2025 |
| Project end | July 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $141,760 |
| NIH project number | 3R61CA297964-01A1S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11566393 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Patients with ovarian cancer or those providing patient-derived tumor samples may be involved through sample donation or data derived from their tissues.
✕Less likely to help
Patients whose samples are not suitable for the analyses or whose disease biology does not involve the studied proteoforms may receive no direct benefit.
What this research studies
If you have ovarian cancer, this project aims to improve how scientists detect exact protein forms in tumor cells, even from small samples. Researchers will merge an ultrasensitive proteomics platform with SEPepQuant software to map proteins and their modifications more accurately. The work involves generating benchmark datasets from patient-derived spheroids and using integrated analysis to validate results against traditional methods. The goal is to provide a clearer picture of cancer biology that could inform future therapies.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Better understanding of cancer proteoforms could lead to more precise biomarkers and targeted treatments for ovarian cancer.
How similar studies have gone: Prior work suggests that combining top-down and bottom-up proteomics with computational benchmarking improves proteoform identification, but this integrated approach is still being validated.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa
Tuscaloosa, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Wu, Si — University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa
- Study coordinator: Wu, Si
Related research
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Alternative NF-kB activation after chemotherapy in ovarian cancer
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Tumor-Niche Co-evolution in Ovarian Cancer Metastasis and Resistance
This research explores how ovarian cancer cells interact with their surrounding tissue to understand how metastasis and resistance to therapy develop, with potential to guide better treatments.
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.