NRG3 and breast cancer brain metastasis: what drives spread to the brain and how to stop it
Official title: Function and Therapeutic Implications of NRG3 in Breast Cancer Brain Metastasis
Funded at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai · NIH-11366698 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This grant explores how the NRG3 protein helps breast cancer cells spread to the brain and whether this knowledge can lead to new treatments.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project start | May 15, 2026 |
| Project end | April 30, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $642,242 |
| NIH project number | 1R01CA303558-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11366698 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Patients with luminal breast cancer at risk for or with brain metastases may benefit from future therapies arising from this work.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals without breast cancer or without brain metastasis risk are unlikely to benefit directly.
What this research studies
Researchers will study how breast cancer cells that originate in bone may travel to the brain, focusing on the role of the molecule NRG3. Using breast cancer models, they will examine how NRG3 is regulated and how it influences the ability of cancer cells to seed and grow in the brain. The work aims to identify potential targets for therapies, including antibodies that can block NRG3-related pathways. The findings could eventually inform strategies to prevent or treat brain metastases in patients with breast cancer.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Better understanding of brain metastasis could lead to new therapies that prevent or treat brain tumors in breast cancer patients.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has linked NRG3 to bone metastasis biology and brain metastatic processes, supporting potential relevance but the full approach is still exploratory.
Where this research is happening
-
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
New York, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Bado, Igor Landry — Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
- Study coordinator: Bado, Igor Landry
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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.