Ligand-guided delivery of small RNAs to fight breast cancer
Official title: Ligand-mediated, vehicle-free delivery of small RNAs
Funded at Purdue University · NIH-11401912 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A new approach aims to safely deliver small RNA therapies directly to breast cancer tumors to slow or stop the disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Purdue University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (West Lafayette, United States) |
| Project start | April 1, 2018 |
| Project end | August 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $385,894 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CA226259-09 |
| Project ID | NIH-11401912 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are individuals with breast cancers that overexpress the folate receptor and could be eligible for future translational studies.
✕Less likely to help
Patients whose tumors do not express the folate receptor or who have contraindications to RNA therapies may not benefit.
What this research studies
This project builds on the idea that RNA-based medicines can be made more stable and tumor-targeted. It uses a ligand (folate) to guide modified microRNAs to breast cancer cells that express the folate receptor, aiming to improve stability and delivery in living animals. If successful, the approach could lead to longer-lasting anti-tumor effects with fewer doses and pave the way for new RNA therapies for breast cancer patients.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients with breast cancer could benefit from more effective RNA therapies that require fewer treatments and have better tumor targeting.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work showed that folate-targeted, stabilized miRNA could significantly impact tumor growth in animal models, demonstrating potential but with partial success.
Where this research is happening
-
Purdue University
West Lafayette, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kasinski, Andrea L — Purdue University
- Study coordinator: Kasinski, Andrea 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.