Mapping how brain and nerve signals influence cancer in ovarian tumors
Official title: Mapping and Manipulating Cancer-Associated Neuronal Networks
Funded at Georgia Institute of Technology · NIH-11421221 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A study to map how ovarian cancer interacts with nearby nerves and how this cross-talk helps the cancer grow and resist treatment.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Georgia Institute of Technology NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Atlanta, United States) |
| Project start | August 6, 2026 |
| Project end | July 31, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $523,554 |
| NIH project number | 1R01CA315100-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11421221 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Patients with ovarian cancer or related neural involvement who participate in future translational or clinical trials could potentially benefit.
✕Less likely to help
Early-stage basic research with no immediate clinical application may not benefit every patient.
What this research studies
This project will explore whether ovarian cancer cells connect with neural networks in the body, similar to what has been seen in brain cancers. Scientists will map neural circuits linked to ovarian tumors and examine how these cancer–nerve connections affect tumor growth and spread. The work will use models that reflect human biology and test how disrupting these signals might slow cancer progression. Findings could point to new ways to make ovarian cancer therapies more effective. If successful, this research may open doors to therapies targeting cancer–nerve interactions.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could lead to new strategies that slow ovarian cancer by interrupting cancer–nerve communication.
How similar studies have gone: Previous brain cancer studies show cancer–neuron interactions can influence tumor behavior, but this area in ovarian cancer is still emerging.
Where this research is happening
-
Georgia Institute of Technology
Atlanta, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Housley, Stephen Nicholas — Georgia Institute of Technology
- Study coordinator: Housley, Stephen Nicholas
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.