Natural compounds that block TEAD to help prevent liver cancer
Official title: Discovery of novel natural TEAD inhibitors for the chemoprevention of liver tumors
Funded at University of Hawaii at Hilo · NIH-11324226 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Testing natural compounds from Hawaiian microbes to find medicines that could help prevent liver cancer in people at higher risk.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Hawaii at Hilo NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Hilo, United States) |
| Project start | May 14, 2024 |
| Project end | April 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $322,891 |
| NIH project number | 5UG3CA290375-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11324226 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People at elevated risk for liver cancer—such as those with chronic HBV or HCV infection, liver cirrhosis, or NASH—would be the eventual candidates for prevention trials based on this work.
✕Less likely to help
People who already have advanced or metastatic liver cancer are unlikely to benefit directly from this prevention-focused research.
What this research studies
Researchers will screen natural products from under-explored Hawaiian microorganisms and national collections to find compounds that block a cancer-promoting protein called TEAD. They will use laboratory bioassays to see which compounds bind TEAD and stop a chemical change (palmitoylation) it needs to work. Promising hits will be studied in cell models and animal tests to see if they can prevent liver tumor development. The long-term aim is to develop safe natural-product options for preventing hepatocellular carcinoma in people with known risk factors like chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis, or NASH.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could lead to new preventive medicines that lower the chance of developing hepatocellular carcinoma in high-risk people.
How similar studies have gone: Efforts to target the Hippo/TEAD pathway are relatively new and mostly preclinical, so this approach is promising but not yet proven in human prevention trials.
Where this research is happening
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University of Hawaii at Hilo
Hilo, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Cao, Shugeng — University of Hawaii at Hilo
- Study coordinator: Cao, Shugeng
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.