Understanding bladder cancer growth and immune response to improve risk prediction
Official title: Project 1
Funded at Methodist Hospital Research Institute · NIH-11418382 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A study in bladder cancer patients aims to understand how early tumors progress and which patients are most likely to worsen, using insights from immune cell structures to guide future care.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Methodist Hospital Research Institute NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Houston, United States) |
| Project start | September 22, 2022 |
| Project end | August 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $355,016 |
| NIH project number | 5U54CA274375-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11418382 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer who may be at risk of progression and could contribute tissue samples or participate in follow-up assessments.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with non-progressive disease or who do not contribute samples may not directly benefit.
What this research studies
This project focuses on non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer and how some lesions progress to muscle-invasive disease, which greatly lowers survival. Researchers will explore a special type of immune-supportive tissue called tertiary lymphoid structures and the immune cells that help form them. They will test models that mimic TLS formation in animals and study human tumor samples to identify consistent patterns. The goal is to find actionable clues that can be used to predict progression and inform treatment decisions.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to better risk stratification and targeted therapies to prevent progression in bladder cancer.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies have begun mapping TLS in human cancers, but this project aims to link immunofibroblast activity to TLS formation and disease progression.
Where this research is happening
-
Methodist Hospital Research Institute
Houston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Chan, Keith Syson — Methodist Hospital Research Institute
- Study coordinator: Chan, Keith Syson
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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.