Metal exposures and unstable chromosomes in lung cancer
Chromosome Instability Drives Metal-Induced Lung Cancer
This work looks at how exposure to metals like hexavalent chromium can make chromosomes in lung cells unstable and lead to lung cancer in people exposed to these metals.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Louisville NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Louisville, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11144523 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From a patient’s view, the team uses human lung cells grown in the lab — including lung fibroblasts, epithelial cells, and stem-cell–derived lung cells — to see how metals damage chromosomes. They focus on hexavalent chromium as a key example and compare its effects with other lung-damaging metals. The researchers measure both structural and numerical chromosome changes and study the molecular steps that lead to that instability. Findings aim to link real-world metal exposures to the cellular changes that start or drive lung cancer.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with a history of occupational or environmental exposure to lung-toxic metals, or patients with lung cancer suspected to be linked to metal exposure, would be most relevant to this research.
Not a fit: Patients whose lung cancer is clearly unrelated to metal exposure, or people without any history of metal exposure, are unlikely to gain direct benefit from this specific work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could clarify how metal exposures cause lung cancer and point to new ways to detect, prevent, or target cancers caused by metals.
How similar studies have performed: Prior laboratory studies show that metals can cause chromosome instability, but linking those changes to detailed mechanisms in human lung cells and to patient outcomes is relatively new and still early-stage.
Where this research is happening
Louisville, United States
- University of Louisville — Louisville, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Wise, John Pierce — University of Louisville
- Study coordinator: Wise, John Pierce
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.