Regulation of cell state changes in breast cancer
Official title: Regulation of cell state plasticity in breast tumorigenesis
Funded at Medical College of Wisconsin · NIH-11447129 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This grant studies how breast cancer cells change their identity during cancer progression to understand and potentially disrupt metastasis and therapy resistance.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Medical College of Wisconsin NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Milwaukee, United States) |
| Project start | September 16, 2026 |
| Project end | August 31, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $434,995 |
| NIH project number | 1R01CA307305-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11447129 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are adults with or at risk for basal-like or triple-negative breast cancer, whose tumor biology can be analyzed for cell-state changes.
✕Less likely to help
Patients whose tumors do not exhibit the studied plasticity or AP-1–driven programs may see limited direct benefit.
What this research studies
Researchers at the Medical College of Wisconsin will examine how breast cells switch between different states as cancer develops, focusing on triple-negative breast cancer. They will map which genes and DNA regions control these state changes and test how blocking AP-1 protein activity affects cell identity. The work combines analysis of patient-derived data with experiments to see how cells decide their fate during tumor evolution. The goal is to uncover mechanisms that drive progression and resistance so future therapies can target these transitions.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Improved understanding of how breast cancer cells change identity could lead to new strategies to prevent metastasis and treatment resistance.
How similar studies have gone: Earlier studies have linked AP-1 activity to cancer cell plasticity and progression, supporting this line of investigation.
Where this research is happening
-
Medical College of Wisconsin
Milwaukee, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Lytle, Nikki Katherine — Medical College of Wisconsin
- Study coordinator: Lytle, Nikki Katherine
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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.