New rat models for estrogen receptor–positive (ER+) breast cancer
Official title: Next Generation Rat Models of ER+ Breast Cancer
Funded at Baylor College of Medicine · NIH-11294283 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers are creating rat versions of ER+ breast cancer that behave like the human disease and spread to bone so scientists can develop better ways to prevent and treat recurrence.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Baylor College of Medicine NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Houston, United States) |
| Project start | March 14, 2022 |
| Project end | February 28, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $595,831 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CA271498-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11294283 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Although this project does not enroll people, patients with estrogen receptor–positive breast cancer—especially those with or at risk for bone metastases—are the group most likely to benefit from follow-on clinical trials informed by this work.
✕Less likely to help
People with non–ER+ breast cancers or cancers that typically do not spread to bone are less likely to benefit directly from findings focused on ER+ bone metastasis.
What this research studies
The team is using targeted genetic changes delivered into rat mammary ducts to produce ER+ tumors in animals with intact immune systems. These rat tumors can be sensitive or resistant to hormone (endocrine) therapies and importantly form metastases in bone, which mirrors a common pattern in people. Having models that more closely match human ER+ breast cancer will let researchers study how tumors start, why they return in bone, and test new prevention or adjuvant treatments. The work is done in the lab and in animals and aims to speed the path toward human trials and better patient care.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could lead to new prevention strategies and adjuvant therapies that reduce the risk of ER+ breast cancer returning in bone.
How similar studies have gone: Existing mouse and cell-line models have generally failed to reproduce ER+ tumors that metastasize to bone, so creating immunocompetent rat models that do so is a relatively novel advance.
Where this research is happening
-
Baylor College of Medicine
Houston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Li, Yi — Baylor College of Medicine
- Study coordinator: Li, Yi
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
ER+ Breast Cancer Bone Metastasis in a Real Body Environment
This grant aims to understand why estrogen receptor alpha–positive breast cancer often spreads to bone and how the bone environment and immune system affect treatment resistance.
-
Targeting RAGE to fight obesity-related ER+ breast cancer and its drug resistance
A scientist team will explore how obesity-related inflammation involving RAGE and estrone interacts with ER+ breast cancer to drive growth and spread, aiming to find strategies to overcome therapy resistance.
-
Understanding estrogen signals in bone to stop ER+ breast cancer spread
This NIH grant aims to uncover how estrogen signals inside bone help ER-positive breast cancer cells grow and spread, with the goal of finding better ways to prevent bone metastasis.
-
Progesterone Receptor Signaling and Dormancy in ER+ Breast Cancer
Researchers are studying how hormone signals in ER+/PR+ breast cancer influence cancer cell dormancy and later recurrence.
-
Heavy Metals and Breast Cancer Treatment Resistance
This project explores how exposure to heavy metals might make ER+ breast cancer harder to treat and how we might overcome this challenge.
-
Turning ER-positive breast cancer into a viral target for immune attack
This project aims to wake up viral-like bits inside ER-positive breast cancer cells so the immune system can spot and attack them.
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.