Understanding how breast cancer affects the body beyond just tumors

BLRD Research Career Scientist Award Application

NIH-funded research Rlr VA Medical Center · NIH-11187350

This study is looking at how breast cancer affects different parts of the body, especially muscles and bones, to find new ways to spot these changes early and improve treatments for patients.

Quick facts

Grant typeNIH-funded research
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionRlr VA Medical Center NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Indianapolis, United States)
Project IDNIH-11187350 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

This research investigates the systemic effects of breast cancer on various organs, particularly focusing on how it impacts skeletal muscle and bone. The team is developing biomarkers to detect these changes early and exploring new drug screening strategies to combat drug resistance. By studying human skeletal muscle cell lines, they aim to enhance the effectiveness of combination therapies and reduce the high failure rate of clinical trials. The ultimate goal is to improve treatment outcomes for breast cancer patients by addressing the disease's broader impacts.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Ideal candidates for this research are individuals diagnosed with breast cancer who may experience systemic effects on their skeletal muscle and bone.

Not a fit: Patients with early-stage breast cancer who are not experiencing systemic effects may not benefit from this research.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to more effective treatments for breast cancer that consider its systemic effects on the body.

How similar studies have performed: Other research has shown promise in understanding systemic effects of cancer, but this approach is innovative in its focus on skeletal muscle and drug resistance.

Where this research is happening

Indianapolis, 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 anti-cancer research
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.