Understanding Colon Cancer Growth in Obese Patients
Official title: Engineered Colon Cancer Tissue to Examine the Role of the Obese Microenvironment in Tumor Aggressiveness
Funded at Auburn University at Auburn · NIH-11131100 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project explores how obesity affects the growth and behavior of colon cancer cells to find new ways to help patients.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Auburn University at Auburn NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Auburn, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | July 1, 2022 |
| Project end | June 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $495,976 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CA267170-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11131100 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
This foundational research is relevant for patients with colon cancer, especially those who also live with obesity, as it seeks to understand the unique aspects of their disease.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without colon cancer or those whose cancer progression is not linked to obesity may not directly benefit from this specific line of inquiry.
What this research studies
This project aims to understand how obesity affects colon cancer growth and progression. Researchers will create advanced lab models using colon cancer cells taken from patients. These models will mimic the environment found in obese individuals, including factors like inflammation and insulin resistance, to see how it changes the cancer cells and the surrounding tissue. The goal is to uncover the specific ways obesity influences tumor development and progression, which could lead to new treatment strategies.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to a better understanding of how obesity drives colon cancer, paving the way for new treatments or prevention strategies tailored for patients with obesity.
How similar studies have gone: The abstract indicates that current patient-specific models for investigating obesity-linked changes in the colon cancer microenvironment do not yet exist, suggesting this approach is novel.
Where this research is happening
-
Auburn University at Auburn
Auburn, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Lipke, Elizabeth a — Auburn University at Auburn
- Study coordinator: Lipke, Elizabeth a
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Engineered Colon Cancer Tissue in Obese Environments
Aims to study how obesity-related changes in the tumor environment influence colorectal cancer using patient-derived, lab-made colon cancer models.
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Investigating how obesity affects colon cancer growth
This study is looking at how being overweight might change the way colorectal cancer grows and behaves, using special lab models that mimic real tumors, to help find better treatment options for patients.
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Colon Cancer Family Registry Cohort study for smarter prevention and care
A large international group is following thousands of people with colorectal cancer and their relatives to better understand risk, causes, and outcomes so future patients can get better guidance and treatment.
-
Adipome biomarkers in obese TNBC mice for targeted therapy
A study in mice explores how fat-derived particles called adipomes influence an aggressive breast cancer type, with the goal of guiding personalized therapies.
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Bioengineered Networking Microbes for Targeted Colon Cancer Therapy
A project tests a engineered bacteria-based therapy designed to target colon tumors and boost the body’s immune response in people with colon cancer.
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How DNA methylation patterns are kept in colon cancer and what happens when they’re disrupted
Researchers are studying how the molecular marks that control gene activity are maintained in colon cancer and how breaking these marks affects cancer growth and treatment response.
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.