Understanding how tumor location affects cancer behavior
Official title: Optogenetic engineering of tumor topography in native tissue environments
Funded at Ut Southwestern Medical Center · NIH-10687660 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how where a tumor is located in the body affects how it behaves and responds to treatment, which could help doctors create better, personalized treatment plans for patients with different types of cancer.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Ut Southwestern Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Dallas, United States) |
| Project start | September 22, 2023 |
| Project end | August 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2023 |
| Award (this year) | $1,437,358 |
| NIH project number | 1DP2CA290967-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-10687660 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are patients diagnosed with pancreatic cancer or other malignancies where tumor location is critical to prognosis.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with cancers that do not exhibit significant differences based on tumor location may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates how the specific location of tumors within tissues influences their behavior and characteristics. By using advanced genetic models, the project aims to uncover the mechanisms that dictate why certain tumors, like those in the head of the pancreas, have better outcomes than those in other locations. The approach involves engineering these models to mimic human cancers more accurately, allowing researchers to study the impact of tumor topography on disease progression. Patients may benefit from insights that could lead to more tailored and effective treatment strategies based on tumor location.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to improved cancer treatments that are more effective based on the specific location of tumors.
How similar studies have gone: While the investigation of tumor location is a recognized area of interest, this specific approach using optogenetic engineering is novel and has not been extensively tested in prior research.
Where this research is happening
-
Ut Southwestern Medical Center
Dallas, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Maddipati, Ravikanth — Ut Southwestern Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Maddipati, Ravikanth
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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.