Targeting Profilin to Improve Blood Vessel Function in Kidney Cancer
Official title: Profilin as a Novel Target for Vascular Normalization in Renal Cancer
Funded at University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh · NIH-10949012 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at a protein called Profilin1 to see how it influences kidney cancer and its blood vessels, with the hope of finding new ways to improve treatments for patients like you.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Pittsburgh, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2022 |
| Project end | August 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $249,000 |
| NIH project number | 4R00CA267180-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-10949012 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are patients diagnosed with clear cell renal cell carcinoma who may not respond to current anti-angiogenic therapies.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with other types of kidney cancer or those who are not diagnosed with renal cell carcinoma may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates the role of Profilin1, a protein involved in cell movement and growth, in the progression of clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC), the most common type of kidney cancer. The study aims to understand how Profilin1 affects the blood vessels in tumors and to explore its potential as a new treatment target. By using both genetic techniques and small molecule inhibitors, the researchers hope to find ways to normalize the blood vessels in tumors, which could improve the effectiveness of existing therapies. Patients may benefit from this research if it leads to new treatment options that overcome resistance to current therapies.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to new therapies that improve treatment outcomes for patients with kidney cancer.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown promise in targeting similar pathways in cancer treatment, suggesting that this approach could be effective.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Gau, David Martin — University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh
- Study coordinator: Gau, David Martin
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Profilin as a Target to Normalize Tumor Vessels in Kidney Cancer
A new approach aims to curb blood vessel growth in a common kidney cancer by targeting a protein called Profilin 1 to improve how blood vessels form in tumors.
-
Overcoming obesity-related resistance to immunotherapy in kidney cancer
A study aims to understand why obesity affects how well immunotherapy works for people with advanced kidney cancer and how to improve treatments for those patients.
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Copper-driven metabolism in clear cell kidney cancer relapse
This grant studies how copper metabolism affects the growth and relapse of clear cell renal cell carcinoma to identify new ways to help patients after surgery.
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New VHL tumor-suppressor signaling in kidney cancer
This project looks at why a common kidney cancer (ccRCC) resists treatment and how changes in a gene called VHL and a chemical tag on RNA might open new ways to fight it.
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Targeting epigenetic drivers in clear cell kidney cancer
A doctor-scientist at Johns Hopkins is exploring how epigenetic changes shape kidney cancer and whether new therapies can target these changes.
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Targeting profilin to normalize blood vessels in kidney cancer
This work tests whether blocking a protein called profilin can normalize tumor blood vessels and help people with clear cell kidney 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.