Understanding how high triglycerides may fuel certain breast cancers
Official title: Understanding how elevated triglycerides contribute to triple negative breast cancer growth and metastasis
Funded at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai · NIH-11384586 · Data updated 2026-11-12
High triglycerides may help triple negative breast cancer grow and spread, and this study looks at how that could happen in patients and models.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R37 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2022 |
| Project end | July 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $476,545 |
| NIH project number | 5R37CA266853-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11384586 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Patients with triple negative breast cancer, especially those with elevated triglyceride levels, could be relevant for future trials or related studies.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals without TNBC or without elevated triglycerides may not directly benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This project explores how elevated triglycerides relate to the growth and spread of triple negative breast cancer using pre-clinical models that mimic high triglyceride conditions. Researchers will analyze gene expression and lipid-related pathways to understand how lipid changes influence tumor behavior. The findings could point toward new ways to manage triglyceride levels as part of breast cancer care. The study is conducted at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai under the leadership of Dr. Emily J. Gallagher.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could identify targets to slow TNBC progression and highlight the potential importance of managing triglyceride levels in affected patients.
How similar studies have gone: Preclinical studies have shown that HTG can influence tumor growth and metastasis in TNBC models, suggesting potential benefit from this approach.
Where this research is happening
-
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
New York, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Gallagher, Emily Jane — Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
- Study coordinator: Gallagher, Emily Jane
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Stable, ultra-tight peptides to block EphB4 and stop TNBC spread
A new peptide-based approach aims to block a cancer molecule called EphB4 to prevent metastasis in triple-negative breast cancer, especially in African American women.
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Stopping triple-negative breast cancer spread by targeting EYA3 and PP2A
Researchers are exploring whether blocking the EYA3/PP2A pathway can prevent triple-negative breast cancer from spreading and help the immune system fight the tumor.
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How low PHGDH changes sugar metabolism to help triple‑negative breast cancer spread
This project looks at how low levels of the enzyme PHGDH change sialic acid sugar metabolism in ways that help triple‑negative breast cancer cells spread.
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Stable, ultra‑high affinity peptides that block EphB4 to stop triple‑negative breast cancer from spreading
Designer peptides that latch onto the EphB4 protein are being developed to try to stop triple‑negative breast cancer from spreading, with attention to the higher risk seen in African American women.
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How high triglycerides may help triple negative breast cancer grow and spread
Researchers are looking at whether high blood triglyceride levels make triple negative breast cancer grow and spread faster, which could point to ways to help women with TNBC.
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Understanding how EYA3 and PP2A contribute to the spread of triple negative breast cancer
This study is looking at how a protein called EYA3, which is found in high amounts in triple negative breast cancer, works with another protein, PP2A, to see how they affect cancer spread and the immune system, with the hope of finding new treatment options for this tough-to-treat cancer.
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.