Lab support for analyzing Richter's syndrome and CLL tumor samples
Pathology
The team grows and studies tumor samples from people whose chronic lymphocytic leukemia changed into Richter's syndrome to better understand the disease and test treatments.
Quick facts
| Grant type | P01 program project |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Dana-Farber Cancer Inst NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11179177 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you donate a sample, researchers will expand your tumor cells in special immunocompromised mice to create living tumor models for lab and drug-testing work. They will also provide frozen and fixed tissue, detailed pathology reports, and tissue microarrays linked to clinical and molecular data. Samples come from stored Dana-Farber collections and newly enrolled patients at Dana-Farber and partner hospitals. These models and annotated tissues are shared with study teams to study cancer biology, signaling pathways, and treatment resistance.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are people with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) that has transformed into Richter's syndrome or CLL patients willing to provide tumor tissue at Dana-Farber or a collaborating site.
Not a fit: Patients without CLL or Richter's syndrome, or those who cannot provide tissue samples or access participating centers, are unlikely to benefit directly from this core.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: This work could lead to more precise treatments and better understanding of why Richter's syndrome resists current therapies.
How similar studies have performed: Patient-derived graft (primagraft/PDX) models have been useful for studying lymphoma biology and drug response, though Richter's-syndrome-specific models remain relatively limited.
Where this research is happening
Boston, United States
- Dana-Farber Cancer Inst — Boston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Carrasco, Ruben D — Dana-Farber Cancer Inst
- Study coordinator: Carrasco, Ruben D
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.