Targeting vulnerabilities in liver cancer treatment

ExpLoiting thErapeutic VulnerAbilities in hepaTocEllular carcinoma (ELEVATE)

NIH-funded research Virginia Commonwealth University · NIH-10849086

This study is looking to find better treatment options for liver cancer in people who have obesity-related liver disease, by understanding how the cancer behaves differently in these patients and testing new combination therapies that might work better than what we have now.

Quick facts

Grant typeP01 program project
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionVirginia Commonwealth University NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Richmond, United States)
Project IDNIH-10849086 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

This research focuses on improving treatment options for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), particularly in patients with obesity-related liver disease. It aims to explore the molecular changes in HCC and develop new combinatorial therapies that could be more effective than current treatments. The project involves multiple components, including a mouse model for testing and a core team dedicated to biostatistics and bioinformatics to analyze data. By understanding the unique characteristics of HCC in patients with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), the research seeks to create tailored treatment strategies.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Ideal candidates for this research are patients diagnosed with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma, especially those with obesity-related liver disease.

Not a fit: Patients with early-stage liver cancer or those whose cancer is not related to obesity may not benefit from this research.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to more effective treatment options for patients with advanced liver cancer, potentially improving survival rates.

How similar studies have performed: Previous research has shown promise in targeting molecular vulnerabilities in cancer, suggesting that this approach could yield significant advancements in treatment.

Where this research is happening

Richmond, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Conditions Cancers
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.