PARP‑1 imaging to personalize PARP inhibitor treatment
Developing PARP-1 PET with companion tissue assay as a precision tool to guide PARPi therapy
A special PET scan plus a matching tissue test to find which breast and ovarian cancer patients are most likely to benefit from PARP‑blocking drugs.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R37 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Pennsylvania NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Philadelphia, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11254930 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would get a PET scan that images the PARP‑1 protein along with a tissue test that measures PARP‑1 in tumor samples to see how much drug target is present and how well drugs might bind. The team aims to use those measures to predict which tumors will respond to PARP inhibitors, guide dosing, and help choose patients for neoadjuvant, adjuvant, or metastatic therapy trials. Work focuses mainly on breast cancer (including triple‑negative cases) and ovarian cancer, building on early lab and patient sample data. The approach links a noninvasive imaging test to a companion tissue assay to improve real‑time treatment decisions.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are people with breast or ovarian cancer—especially those with BRCA1/2 mutations or triple‑negative breast cancer—who are being considered for PARP inhibitor therapy or related clinical trials.
Not a fit: People without PARP‑related tumors, those whose tumors do not express PARP‑1, or patients not eligible for PARP inhibitors are unlikely to benefit from this approach.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could help doctors match PARP inhibitors to patients who will benefit and avoid exposing others to toxic drugs that are unlikely to work.
How similar studies have performed: Direct imaging of PARP‑1 is a relatively new approach, though preliminary data in breast and ovarian cancer suggest it may help predict PARP inhibitor binding and response.
Where this research is happening
Philadelphia, United States
- University of Pennsylvania — Philadelphia, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Mcdonald, Elizabeth — University of Pennsylvania
- Study coordinator: Mcdonald, Elizabeth
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.