Protecting hair from ovarian cancer chemotherapy
Official title: Countering microtubule stabilization within hair follicles in ovarian cancer chemotherapy
Funded at University of Miami School of Medicine · NIH-11306994 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Trying low-intensity ultrasound to protect the hair of people getting paclitaxel chemotherapy for ovarian cancer.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Miami School of Medicine NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Coral Gables, United States) |
| Project start | April 4, 2024 |
| Project end | March 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $351,131 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CA286527-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11306994 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People receiving paclitaxel chemotherapy (for ovarian cancer or similar solid tumors) who are concerned about treatment-related hair loss would be the most relevant group.
✕Less likely to help
People not treated with paclitaxel or whose hair loss has a non-chemotherapy cause are unlikely to benefit from this approach.
What this research studies
From my point of view, researchers are using low-intensity ultrasound to try to stop the hair follicle damage caused by paclitaxel. They will first test the approach on human scalp hair follicles grown in the lab and then in mouse models to see if ultrasound prevents the drug from killing hair matrix cells. The team will study how ultrasound breaks up the drug-induced rigid microtubule bundles that lead to hair follicle cell death. If these preclinical results look promising, the work could lead to future tests involving people who receive paclitaxel.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could reduce or prevent severe hair loss for patients who receive paclitaxel chemotherapy.
How similar studies have gone: This is a novel approach: early lab work suggests ultrasound can protect cells from paclitaxel damage, but it has not yet been proven in people.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Miami School of Medicine
Coral Gables, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Xu, Xiangxi Mike — University of Miami School of Medicine
- Study coordinator: Xu, Xiangxi Mike
Related research
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Understanding how chemotherapy-related changes fuel ovarian cancer relapse
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Why ovarian cancer can come back after chemotherapy — the role of NF-kB signaling
Researchers are looking at whether signals called alternative NF-kB, triggered after chemotherapy, help drug-resistant tumor-initiating cells survive and cause ovarian cancer to return in women treated for ovarian cancer.
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Why ovarian cancer returns after chemotherapy — the role of an alternative NF‑κB signal
This project looks at whether a signaling pathway called alternative NF‑κB helps chemo‑resistant ovarian cancer cells survive and lead to relapse in women treated for ovarian cancer.
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.