Understanding How Copper Kills Cancer Cells
Mechanisms Promoting Copper Dependent Cell Death in Cancer
['FUNDING_R01'] · BETH ISRAEL DEACONESS MEDICAL CENTER · NIH-11123483
This research explores a new way that copper can cause cancer cells to die, hoping to find better treatments for cancer.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_R01'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | BETH ISRAEL DEACONESS MEDICAL CENTER (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (BOSTON, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11123483 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
We know that copper can be toxic to cells, and some past cancer treatments tried to use this toxicity, but we didn't fully understand how they worked. This project focuses on a newly discovered type of cell death, called 'cuproptosis,' which depends on copper and involves specific proteins in the cell's energy factories. By combining advanced techniques to look at genes, proteins, and cell chemistry, we aim to uncover the exact steps that lead to cancer cell death. This deeper understanding is key to developing new and more effective copper-based therapies for various cancers.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: This foundational research is not directly recruiting patients at this stage, but future clinical trials based on these findings would likely seek patients with various types of cancer.
Not a fit: Patients without cancer or those whose cancer does not respond to copper-dependent cell death mechanisms may not directly benefit from this specific approach.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to new and more effective cancer treatments that specifically target cancer cells using copper-dependent mechanisms.
How similar studies have performed: While copper-based therapies have been explored in the past with some promising tolerability, the specific mechanism of 'cuproptosis' is a novel discovery that this project aims to fully understand.
Where this research is happening
BOSTON, UNITED STATES
- BETH ISRAEL DEACONESS MEDICAL CENTER — BOSTON, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: TSVETKOV, PETER — BETH ISRAEL DEACONESS MEDICAL CENTER
- Study coordinator: TSVETKOV, PETER
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.
Conditions: Cancer Cell Growth, Cancer cell line, Cancers