Investigating ways to promote muscle cell differentiation in rhabdomyosarcoma to stop tumor growth
Official title: Reprogramming myogenic regulatory factors in RMS to promote differentiation and halt growth
Funded at University of Colorado Denver · NIH-11075770 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at rhabdomyosarcoma, a type of cancer that mainly affects kids, to find out how some factors that help muscle cells grow can actually make the cancer worse, and the researchers hope to turn those cancer cells back into normal muscle cells to stop the tumors from growing.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Colorado Denver NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Aurora, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | May 16, 2023 |
| Project end | April 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $660,709 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CA275187-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11075770 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are children diagnosed with rhabdomyosarcoma, particularly those with metastatic disease.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with other types of cancer or those who are not diagnosed with rhabdomyosarcoma may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research focuses on rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS), a type of cancer that primarily affects children and has a low survival rate. The study aims to understand why certain factors that usually promote muscle cell development instead contribute to the growth of RMS tumors. By reprogramming these myogenic regulatory factors, the researchers hope to encourage the differentiation of cancer cells into normal muscle cells, potentially halting tumor progression. The approach involves advanced techniques to analyze the genetic and molecular changes in RMS cells.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to new, targeted therapies that improve survival rates and reduce side effects for children with rhabdomyosarcoma.
How similar studies have gone: While there has been some research into targeting myogenic regulatory factors in cancer, this specific approach to rhabdomyosarcoma is relatively novel and has not been extensively tested.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Colorado Denver
Aurora, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ford, Heide L. — University of Colorado Denver
- Study coordinator: Ford, Heide L.
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.