Tracking and controlling chromosome changes in breast cancer organoids
Quantitative analysis and manipulation of chromosome dynamics in cancer organoids
Researchers will use 3-D breast cancer organoids to measure and change chromosome errors that may drive tumor growth, with the goal of helping people with breast cancer.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California, San Francisco NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (San Francisco, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11263700 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers will grow 3-D organoids from patient breast tumor tissue and use molecular tools to watch how chromosomes are gained, lost, or mis-segregated within those mini-tumors. They will develop methods to detect rare chromosome segregation errors and deliberately create defined aneuploidies to model tumor diversity. The team will study how these chromosome changes affect organoid behavior and response to therapies. The goal is to build organoid models that reveal vulnerabilities tied to chromosome abnormalities for future drug testing.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with breast cancer who can donate tumor tissue from surgery or biopsy for organoid creation would be ideal candidates to contribute.
Not a fit: People without breast cancer or whose tumors cannot be grown as organoids would likely not receive direct benefit from participating.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new treatment targets or strategies for breast cancers driven by chromosome abnormalities, improving therapy options and outcomes.
How similar studies have performed: Patient-derived organoids and studies of chromosome instability exist, but directly tracking and manipulating aneuploidy in live breast cancer organoids is a relatively new and emerging approach.
Where this research is happening
San Francisco, United States
- University of California, San Francisco — San Francisco, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Wittmann, Torsten — University of California, San Francisco
- Study coordinator: Wittmann, Torsten
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 below.