Understanding how diseases change quickly

Genomics of rapid adaptation in the lab and in the wild

['FUNDING_OTHER'] · STANFORD UNIVERSITY · NIH-11087569

This project looks at how diseases like cancer and infections can change and adapt over time, using different models to learn more about their evolution.

Quick facts

Phase['FUNDING_OTHER']
Study typeNih_funding
SexAll
SponsorSTANFORD UNIVERSITY (nih funded)
Locations1 site (STANFORD, UNITED STATES)
Trial IDNIH-11087569 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this research studies

This project explores how living things, including diseases, adapt rapidly to new conditions. Researchers are studying how yeast adapt to new environments, how fruit flies change with the seasons, and how lung cancer grows and evolves in mice. By looking at these different examples, the goal is to build a better understanding of how evolution works quickly. This knowledge could help us understand how drug resistance develops in infections or how cancers become harder to treat.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: This foundational research does not directly involve patient participation at this stage.

Not a fit: Patients seeking immediate clinical interventions would not directly benefit from this basic science project.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this work could provide a deeper understanding of how diseases like cancer and infectious agents evolve, potentially leading to new strategies for treatment or prevention.

How similar studies have performed: While the specific approach of integrating diverse systems for a unified theory of adaptation is novel, individual components like experimental evolution in yeast and Drosophila, and mouse models of cancer, are well-established research methods.

Where this research is happening

STANFORD, 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.

View on NIH RePORTER →

Conditions: Cancers, Communicable Diseases, Infectious Diseases

Last reviewed 2026-05-15 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.