Investigating how cancer cells adapt to oxidative stress during metastasis
Official title: High-resolution approaches to dissect the role of subcellular redox circuits in vivo
Funded at Ut Southwestern Medical Center · NIH-10909611 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how aggressive cancer cells manage to survive even when faced with harmful stress from their environment, and it aims to find new ways to stop these cells from spreading by using special tools to better understand their behavior.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Ut Southwestern Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Dallas, United States) |
| Project start | September 5, 2024 |
| Project end | August 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $1,476,000 |
| NIH project number | 1DP2GM159178-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-10909611 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are cancer patients, particularly those with highly metastatic tumors.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with non-metastatic cancers or those whose tumors are not influenced by oxidative stress may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research focuses on understanding how highly metastatic cancer cells survive and thrive despite the damaging effects of oxidative stress, which is caused by reactive oxygen species (ROS). The team will develop advanced tools to study these processes in living organisms, including optogenetic proteins that can create localized ROS and gene therapy techniques to manipulate ROS levels in tissues. By examining the subcellular circuits involved in these adaptations, the research aims to uncover potential therapeutic targets to hinder cancer metastasis.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to new therapies that prevent cancer cells from spreading to other organs.
How similar studies have gone: While the specific approach of using high-resolution tools to study ROS in vivo is novel, similar research has shown promise in understanding cancer cell behavior and developing targeted therapies.
Where this research is happening
-
Ut Southwestern Medical Center
Dallas, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Garcia Bermudez, Javier — Ut Southwestern Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Garcia Bermudez, Javier
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.