Preventing tumor–immune cell fusion to counter resistance to a BRD4 drug in triple negative breast cancer
Official title: Targeting cell fusion as a novel strategy to tackle JQ1 resistance in triple negative breast cancer
Funded at Benedict College · NIH-11321682 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers will see if stopping fusion between breast cancer cells and certain immune cells helps keep a BRD4-blocking drug (like JQ1) working longer for people with triple negative breast cancer.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Benedict College NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Columbia, United States) |
| Project start | May 1, 2024 |
| Project end | April 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $137,333 |
| NIH project number | 5R16GM153690-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11321682 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with triple negative breast cancer, especially those receiving or considered for BRD4-targeting drugs or who have had the drug stop working, would be most directly connected to this research.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with non–triple-negative breast cancers or those not treated with BRD4 inhibitors are unlikely to see direct benefit from this specific line of research.
What this research studies
This project studies how triple negative breast cancer cells can fuse with monocytes (a type of immune cell) after treatment with a BRD4 inhibitor such as JQ1. In the lab, researchers will examine the role of a protein called MFSD2 in promoting that cell fusion and create ways to block it. They will use cancer cells and immune cells together to better mimic the tumor environment and measure whether blocking fusion reduces emergence of drug-resistant, stem-like cancer cells. The work aims to identify a new target that could be developed into therapies to stop or delay resistance to BRD4-blocking drugs.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could lead to new treatments that prevent or overcome drug resistance in triple negative breast cancer, making existing therapies work better and longer.
How similar studies have gone: BRD4 inhibitors like JQ1 have shown promise in laboratory models of TNBC, but specifically targeting cancer–immune cell fusion to prevent resistance is a novel approach with limited prior clinical testing.
Where this research is happening
-
Benedict College
Columbia, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ai, Walden — Benedict College
- Study coordinator: Ai, Walden
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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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.
-
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.