Molecular drivers of cell fusion in triple negative breast cancer

Who could benefit from this research

What this research studies

This project studies how TNBC cells fuse with each other and how this process might create cells that behave differently and resist chemotherapy. Researchers will use CRISPR activation to turn on specific genes in TNBC cell lines and track which ones promote cell fusion using a special two-color tagging system. They will also build a live-cell imaging setup to observe fusion events in real time and validate key genes with a focused screen. The work aims to identify potential targets that could be blocked to limit tumor evolution and therapy resistance in TNBC.

Why it matters

Where this research is happening

• University of Texas at Austin
  Austin, United States Active

Researchers

• Principal investigator: Brock, Amy — University of Texas at Austin
• Study coordinator: Brock, Amy

Related research

Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.

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• Co-Targeting IL-6 and CDK4/6 to Prevent TNBC in Women Veterans

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  NIH research Baltimore VA Medical Center · Baltimore, United States · NIH-11608792

• Linking heavy metal exposure to a tougher breast cancer type (TNBC)

  Aimed at understanding how heavy metals like cadmium might trigger a dangerous breast cancer type (TNBC) in people, especially those with BRCA1 risk, to identify possible future treatment strategies.

  NIH research University of Louisville · Louisville, United States · NIH-11567535

• Dormancy in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer: How Liver and Skin Metastases Go Quiet or Reactivate

  Researchers will study how dormant cancer cells in liver and skin metastases of triple-negative breast cancer become quiescent or wake up, using organ-on-chip models and single-cell analysis to map chromatin states.

  NIH research Massachusetts Institute of Technology · Cambridge, United States · NIH-11531542

• Rac-enhanced CAR-Macrophages against TNBC

  A new cell therapy approach uses engineered macrophages with a CAR and Rac2 activation to target and kill triple-negative breast cancer cells expressing CSPG4.

  NIH research University of Louisville · Louisville, United States · NIH-11520503

• A new peptide therapy to help treat metastatic triple-negative breast cancer

  A new peptide therapy called PEG-FUD is being tested to help treat metastatic triple-negative breast cancer by normalizing the tumor environment to improve treatment delivery.

  NIH research University of Wisconsin-Madison · Madison, United States · NIH-11453153

About this research

1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.