Racial differences in breast cancer: how genetics and lifestyle affect tumors
Official title: Racial disparities in breast cancer risk and gene expression-roles of genetics and lifestyle factors
Funded at University of Miami School of Medicine · NIH-11535223 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A small, patient-focused study will look at how genes and everyday factors influence breast cancer in African American and African Zambian women.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R03 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 | September 23, 2025 |
| Project end | August 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $9,037 |
| NIH project number | 3R03CA293127-02S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11535223 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Women with pathologically confirmed breast cancer, particularly African Zambian and similar ancestry, may be eligible.
✕Less likely to help
Women without available tumor tissue or those outside the study’s geographic or clinical settings may not benefit.
What this research studies
This project will enroll 250 African Zambian women with breast cancer, collect their clinical and lifestyle information, and analyze tumor samples using RNA sequencing to understand how genetics and environment shape tumor biology. Researchers will compare these data to existing cohorts to tease apart genetic and lifestyle contributions to tumor differences seen in African American women. The goal is to uncover clues that could explain higher mortality and more aggressive cancer subtypes in some groups, with a focus on whether biology differs due to race-related factors. The study will be conducted at the University of Miami and Cancer Disease Hospital in Lusaka, Zambia, over about two years.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Findings could lead to more personalized risk assessment and treatment strategies for breast cancer in diverse populations.
How similar studies have gone: Similar integrative studies using RNA sequencing and diverse cohorts have helped identify population-specific molecular patterns in breast cancer.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Miami School of Medicine
Coral Gables, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ping, Jie — University of Miami School of Medicine
- Study coordinator: Ping, Jie
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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.