Understanding how immune and microbial factors influence colorectal cancer
Official title: Integration of Immunology and Microbiology into Molecular Pathological Epidemiology of Colorectal Cancer
Funded at Brigham and Women's Hospital · NIH-10909330 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how your immune system, gut bacteria, and cancer cells work together in colorectal cancer, with the goal of understanding how things like diet and lifestyle can affect your risk, so that we can find better ways to prevent and treat the disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Brigham and Women's Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | August 17, 2023 |
| Project end | July 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $168,797 |
| NIH project number | 5R50CA274122-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-10909330 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research include individuals with a history of colorectal cancer or adenomas, as well as those interested in understanding the impact of lifestyle factors on their health.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without any history of colorectal cancer or adenomas, or those not interested in the relationship between lifestyle and cancer, may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates the complex interactions between immune cells, microbiota, and tumor cells in colorectal cancer and adenomas. By integrating immunology and microbiology into molecular pathological epidemiology, the project aims to uncover how various exposures and lifestyle factors contribute to the disease. It utilizes advanced statistical and computational methods to analyze tumor tissue datasets from diverse populations, assessing the role of diet and lifestyle in relation to cancer incidence. Patients may benefit from insights that could lead to improved prevention and treatment strategies.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to better understanding and potentially new strategies for preventing and treating colorectal cancer.
How similar studies have gone: Other research has shown promising results in understanding the role of microbiota and immune factors in cancer, indicating that this integrative approach could yield valuable insights.
Where this research is happening
-
Brigham and Women's Hospital
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ugai, Tomotaka — Brigham and Women's Hospital
- Study coordinator: Ugai, Tomotaka
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Improving colorectal cancer screening and follow-up care.
This study is working to help more people get screened for colorectal cancer and receive the follow-up care they need, especially those who haven't been screened much before, so that everyone can have better access to important health checks and improve their overall health.
-
Colorectal cancer prognosis through a broad, collaborative study
A large, multi-center study follows people newly diagnosed with colorectal cancer to find biomarkers and patterns that predict outcomes and guide future care.
-
Ceramides and how they affect metabolism and colorectal cancer in adults
A study in adults with obesity-related health issues will explore how a fat-related molecule called ceramide influences metabolic problems and colorectal cancer risk.
-
Automated point-of-care DNA methylation test for colorectal cancer in LMICs
A fast, affordable blood test using DNA markers to help identify people at higher risk of colorectal cancer in low- and middle-income countries.
-
Rewiring Colorectal Cancer to Harness Therapeutic Hyperactivation
A Yale team is exploring brain-storming new ways to treat colorectal cancer by safely boosting certain cancer signaling pathways to kill cancer cells and by reshaping cancer cell states to improve responses to existing therapies.
-
Comparative modeling to guide colorectal cancer screening and care
A researcher team will use computer models to study how access to care, risk, and new screening options affect colorectal cancer outcomes and costs for adults in the US.
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.