Targeting proteoglycan signaling in Ewing sarcoma in kids and teens
Official title: Targeting proteoglycan-mediated signaling in Ewing sarcoma
Funded at Children's Research Institute · NIH-11231979 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Aims to understand and slow down a deadly bone/soft-tissue cancer in young patients by studying a zebrafish model and how certain cell signals drive tumor growth.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Children's Research Institute NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Washington, United States) |
| Project start | July 1, 2023 |
| Project end | August 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $248,903 |
| NIH project number | 4R00CA270282-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11231979 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are individuals with Ewing sarcoma or clinicians seeking new therapeutic targets for ES.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without Ewing sarcoma or related signaling abnormalities may not benefit from this work.
What this research studies
This project uses a zebrafish model engineered with human EWSR1-FLI1 to study how Ewing sarcoma starts and progresses in a living organism. It will track cancer cell behavior with fluorescent markers, examine how proteoglycans and ERK signaling influence tumor growth, and test how blocking these signals affects tumors in zebrafish and cell cultures. The team will apply advanced single-cell sequencing and high-resolution imaging to reveal new targets for therapy. By connecting findings in a fish model to human disease, the work aims to identify vulnerabilities that could guide future treatments for patients with ES.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the research could reveal new ways to disrupt tumor growth and progression in Ewing sarcoma, potentially guiding the development of targeted therapies.
How similar studies have gone: Earlier studies in ES models and cell lines show that proteoglycan signaling and ERK pathways are involved in tumor behavior, supporting potential impact of this approach.
Where this research is happening
-
Children's Research Institute
Washington, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Vasileva, Elena — Children's Research Institute
- Study coordinator: Vasileva, Elena
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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.