N‑nitrosamines: health risks and ways to prevent harm
Project 1: Assessment of the Health Effects of N-Nitrosamines and Development of Disease Mitigation Strategies
This project looks at how common chemicals called N‑nitrosamines can cause cancer and explores ways to detect and reduce harm for people exposed to them.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Massachusetts Institute of Technology NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Cambridge, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11126752 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From a patient point of view, researchers are creating special 'canary' mice with changes in key DNA‑repair genes to reveal harm from long‑term, low‑level N‑nitrosamine exposure like that found near contaminated sites or in water and food. They will expose these mice to environmentally relevant NDMA levels and combine genetic and molecular data to find early markers of damage. The team will also test a probiotic that has shown promise in reducing NDMA‑related cancers in prior studies and develop a new cell‑array screening tool to flag hazardous N‑nitrosamines. All data will be integrated with a shared analysis core to help predict disease risk and guide prevention strategies.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People most relevant to this research are those with known or likely N‑nitrosamine exposure, such as residents near contaminated sites, people with affected drinking water, or those exposed to contaminated drugs.
Not a fit: People without any history of N‑nitrosamine exposure or whose illnesses are unrelated to these carcinogens are unlikely to benefit directly from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could produce early warning biomarkers, screening tools, and potential preventive measures that lower cancer risk from N‑nitrosamine exposure.
How similar studies have performed: Some animal studies have shown promise (for example, a probiotic reducing NDMA‑induced cancer), but using engineered 'canary' mice together with new cell‑screening arrays for low‑dose environmental exposures is a relatively new approach.
Where this research is happening
Cambridge, United States
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology — Cambridge, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Engelward, Bevin P. — Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Study coordinator: Engelward, Bevin P.
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.