Methionine's role in cancer and aging
The regulation of cancer and aging by methionine
This project looks at whether lowering the dietary amino acid methionine can slow cancer growth and help maintain health as organisms get older, using mouse models that mimic aging.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Wisconsin-Madison NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Madison, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11299477 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From a patient's point of view, researchers will feed mice diets low in the amino acid methionine and compare how tumors grow and how overall health and lifespan change, focusing on older animals rather than young lab strains. They will use mouse cancer models (including models relevant to breast cancer) across different genetic backgrounds and ages to see whether methionine restriction has consistent benefits. The team will study metabolism, molecular signals, and responses to interventions to understand how aging and diet interact with cancer. Findings may point to dietary approaches or drug targets that could be tested in people in the future.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Those most relevant would be older adults, particularly people with or at higher risk for breast cancer, who are interested in metabolic or diet-based approaches to cancer and aging.
Not a fit: People with rapidly progressing cancers needing immediate standard treatments, or individuals for whom dietary restriction is unsafe (severe frailty or malnutrition), are unlikely to benefit from this line of research in the near term.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to diet-based strategies or new drugs that slow cancer progression and support healthier aging.
How similar studies have performed: Prior animal studies have shown methionine restriction can extend lifespan and slow some tumors, but this approach remains preclinical and unproven in humans.
Where this research is happening
Madison, United States
- University of Wisconsin-Madison — Madison, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Lamming, Dudley William — University of Wisconsin-Madison
- Study coordinator: Lamming, Dudley William
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.