Profiling gene activity and physical traits of tumor cells found in the blood
Project 2: Profiling Gene Expression and Mechanophenotype in Circulating Tumor Cells Ex Vivo
This project grows tumor cells taken from patients' blood in bone- and organ-like environments to see how their genes and physical properties change and to help guide future treatment for people with metastatic cancer.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Brown University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Providence, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11192869 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers take circulating tumor cells (CTCs) from a patient’s blood and grow them outside the body in lab-made materials that mimic different tissues. They change the chemistry and stiffness of these materials and add human stromal cells to recreate bone, lung, or liver microenvironments. The team measures gene activity and physical properties of the CTCs and tests targeted drugs on these cultured cells. The goal is to learn which environments promote spread and drug resistance so lab results could one day inform personal care decisions.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are people with cancers that shed circulating tumor cells (for example ER+ breast cancer) who can provide blood samples for CTC collection.
Not a fit: Patients whose tumors do not release detectable CTCs, who cannot give blood samples, or whose disease is unrelated to the studied mechanisms may not benefit directly from this work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could help predict where a person’s cancer cells are likely to spread and which drugs might work best for their tumor.
How similar studies have performed: Some early studies have managed to grow and profile CTCs from patients, but using engineered tissue-like environments to predict metastasis and drug response remains a relatively new and developing approach.
Where this research is happening
Providence, United States
- Brown University — Providence, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Wong, Ian Y — Brown University
- Study coordinator: Wong, Ian Y
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.