Understanding how retinoblastoma, a childhood eye cancer, develops using 3D models of retinal cells.
Official title: Modeling Retinoblastoma Initiation Using 3D-Retinal Organoids
Funded at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital · NIH-10834132 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how retinoblastoma, a rare eye cancer in kids, starts and grows by using special lab-created eye tissues from children with genetic changes, which could help find better ways to treat the disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | St. Jude Children's Research Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Memphis, United States) |
| Project start | May 15, 2020 |
| Project end | April 30, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $390,077 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CA245508-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-10834132 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research include children with germline RB1 mutations or those diagnosed with retinoblastoma.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without retinoblastoma or those who do not carry RB1 mutations may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates the initiation and progression of retinoblastoma, a rare cancer affecting the retina in children. By creating 3D retinal organoids from patients with genetic mutations, the team aims to explore critical questions about how this cancer develops and evolves. The study will utilize advanced techniques in stem cell biology and computational analysis to uncover the mechanisms behind tumor formation and progression, which could lead to better treatment strategies. This innovative approach allows researchers to study the disease in a controlled environment, overcoming limitations of traditional methods.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to improved understanding and treatment options for children diagnosed with retinoblastoma.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown success in using organoid models for studying various cancers, indicating potential for this novel approach in retinoblastoma.
Where this research is happening
-
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
Memphis, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Dyer, Michael a — St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
- Study coordinator: Dyer, Michael a
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Understanding how premalignant retinoblastoma lesions form and progress in children
Researchers are studying how early retinal lesions in kids with RB1 loss become malignant, with the goal of finding ways to prevent retinoblastoma progression.
-
Aqueous humor liquid biopsy to guide prognosis and monitoring in children with retinoblastoma
A liquid test using a small amount of eye fluid could reveal important tumor details to help predict how retinoblastoma in young children will behave and how well treatment is working.
-
Parent-of-Origin Effects in Retinoblastoma: Epigenetic Drivers of Tumor Risk and Progression
A study using long-read DNA sequencing to understand how the parent of origin of RB1 gene variants affects retinoblastoma risk and progression, with potential to guide personalized monitoring and treatment.
-
Retinoblastoma eye-sparing treatment for young children
A new, targeted eye treatment for young children with retinoblastoma aims to save eyes and reduce radiation exposure by delivering medicine directly into the eye.
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How early retinal changes lead to retinoblastoma
This project looks at how early abnormal cells in the retina form and later turn into retinoblastoma in children, using lab-grown retinal tissue.
-
A tiny eye-fluid test to predict and track retinoblastoma in young children
This project uses a very small sample of eye fluid to look for tumor DNA that could help predict how retinoblastoma will behave and to follow treatment in children.
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.