Targeting mitochondrial energy in triple-negative breast cancer that remains after chemo
Official title: Metabolic adaptation in residual triple negative breast cancer following chemotherapy
Funded at Baylor College of Medicine · NIH-11238042 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This work looks at whether blocking a tumor's mitochondrial energy program can help people with triple-negative breast cancer whose tumors remain after chemotherapy.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R37 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Baylor College of Medicine NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Houston, United States) |
| Project start | December 27, 2022 |
| Project end | November 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $650,936 |
| NIH project number | 5R37CA269783-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11238042 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with triple-negative breast cancer who still have measurable residual tumor after neoadjuvant (pre-surgery) chemotherapy, especially those without BRCA mutations, would be the best fit.
✕Less likely to help
Patients whose cancer is not triple-negative or who had a complete response to chemotherapy (no residual tumor) are unlikely to benefit from this work.
What this research studies
I would be asked to provide tumor biopsy samples taken before and after pre-surgery chemotherapy so researchers can compare energy-related changes. The team grows patient-derived tumors in models and measures mitochondrial proteins and structure, especially the fusion protein OPA1, to see how leftover cancer cells change after chemo. They test drugs and genetic approaches that shut down oxidative phosphorylation or alter mitochondrial fusion to see if resistant cells can be killed. The aim is to find ways to eliminate residual TNBC that puts patients at high risk of recurrence.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could lead to new treatments that kill chemotherapy-resistant triple-negative breast cancer cells and reduce the chance of the cancer coming back.
How similar studies have gone: Preclinical studies and patient-derived tumor models have shown that oxidative phosphorylation can drive resistance and may be targetable, but clinical testing of this exact approach is still limited.
Where this research is happening
-
Baylor College of Medicine
Houston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Echeverria, Gloria Vittone — Baylor College of Medicine
- Study coordinator: Echeverria, Gloria Vittone
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Mitochondrial gene therapy plus targeted chemotherapy for triple-negative breast cancer
A new approach combines modifying cancer cell powerhouses with a targeted chemotherapy strategy to help people with triple-negative breast cancer.
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Combining gene therapy and chemotherapy to treat aggressive breast cancer
This study is exploring a new way to treat triple-negative breast cancer by using a combination of gene therapy and special chemotherapy to target the energy centers of cancer cells, with the hope of making treatments work better and stopping the cancer from becoming resistant to drugs.
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Finding the best radiotherapy dose to use with immunotherapy for early-stage triple-negative breast cancer
This study is looking for the best amount of radiation therapy to use alongside immunotherapy and chemotherapy for people with early-stage triple-negative breast cancer, to help improve their treatment results.
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Understanding how triple negative breast cancer adapts after chemotherapy
This study is looking at how triple negative breast cancer cells adapt their energy use to survive after chemotherapy, and it aims to find new ways to target these changes to help improve treatment for patients like you.
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Best radiation dose with pre-surgery chemo and pembrolizumab for early-stage triple-negative breast cancer
This project compares different radiation doses given before surgery together with chemotherapy and pembrolizumab for people with early-stage, node-positive triple-negative breast cancer to find the safest and most helpful approach.
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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.
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.