New Nanotechnology for Triple Negative Breast Cancer
Official title: Multifunctional Nanotechnology Platform for Triple Negative Breast Cancer Treatment
Funded at Howard University · NIH-11128818 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This work aims to create tiny, smart delivery systems to bring powerful medicines directly to triple-negative breast cancer cells, hoping to improve treatment for patients.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Howard University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Washington, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2022 |
| Project end | June 30, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $154,500 |
| NIH project number | 5R16GM145483-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11128818 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
This research is ultimately aimed at patients diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer, particularly younger women and those of African-American and Hispanic descent who are disproportionately affected.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without triple-negative breast cancer or those whose cancer does not respond to the specific drugs delivered by these nanoparticles may not receive direct benefit from this particular approach.
What this research studies
Triple-negative breast cancer can be aggressive and hard to treat, often leading to resistance to current therapies. This project focuses on developing special nanoparticles that can carry multiple chemotherapy drugs directly to cancer cells. By targeting the cancer more precisely, these nanoparticles could deliver higher doses of medicine while potentially reducing side effects on healthy tissues. The goal is to overcome drug resistance and improve the effectiveness of chemotherapy for patients with this challenging type of breast cancer.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this new nanotechnology could lead to more effective treatments for triple-negative breast cancer, potentially reducing side effects and improving patient outcomes.
How similar studies have gone: While current chemotherapies and immunotherapies exist for TNBC, this approach of using multifunctional targeted nanoparticles for enhanced drug delivery represents a novel strategy to improve upon existing treatments.
Where this research is happening
-
Howard University
Washington, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Akala, Emmanuel O — Howard University
- Study coordinator: Akala, Emmanuel O
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Genomic study to understand how genetics and epigenetics shape triple-negative breast cancer in African ancestry
This study looks at how inherited genes and gene activity affect triple-negative breast cancer in people of African ancestry to better understand why outcomes can be worse.
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Co-Targeting IL-6 and CDK4/6 to Prevent TNBC in Women Veterans
A study aims to block two cancer-promoting pathways (IL-6 and CDK4/6) to prevent or reduce progression of triple-negative breast cancer in women veterans.
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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.
-
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.
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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.
-
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.
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.