Understanding liver cancer in children using stem cells
Official title: Modeling Hepatoblastoma using pluripotent stem cell derived hepatocyte-like cells
Funded at Weill Medical Coll of Cornell Univ · NIH-10687102 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how a type of liver cancer called hepatoblastoma affects kids, and it's using special cells to learn more about the disease and find better treatments that could help young patients.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Weill Medical Coll of Cornell Univ NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project start | August 19, 2019 |
| Project end | July 31, 2025 |
| Funding year | 2023 |
| Award (this year) | $375,047 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CA234614-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-10687102 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are children diagnosed with hepatoblastoma or those at risk for developing this type of liver cancer.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with other types of cancers or those who are not children may not receive benefits from this research.
What this research studies
This research focuses on hepatoblastoma, the most common liver cancer in children, which has a low survival rate. By using pluripotent stem cell-derived hepatocyte-like cells, the researchers aim to model this cancer to better understand its mechanisms and develop targeted therapies. The study will investigate the genetic mutations associated with hepatoblastoma and how they affect cell behavior, which could lead to more effective treatments. Patients may benefit from improved clinical therapies that arise from this research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to more effective and targeted treatments for children with hepatoblastoma.
How similar studies have gone: Other research has shown promise in using stem cell models to study various cancers, indicating that this approach could be beneficial for understanding hepatoblastoma as well.
Where this research is happening
-
Weill Medical Coll of Cornell Univ
New York, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Schwartz, Robert E — Weill Medical Coll of Cornell Univ
- Study coordinator: Schwartz, Robert E
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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High-risk hepatoblastoma spread control through NRF2 targeting
This project studies how aggressive liver cancer in children spreads and how turning off NRF2 might prevent it, with the goal of helping kids with high-risk hepatoblastoma survive longer.
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Controlling the spread of high-risk hepatoblastoma using NRF2
This work looks at how a protein called NRF2 helps high-risk hepatoblastoma spread in children, hoping to find new ways to stop it.
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Targeting specific immune cells to improve treatment for childhood liver cancer.
This study is looking at how certain immune cells might make it harder to treat hepatoblastoma, a type of liver cancer in kids, and aims to find out if getting rid of these cells can help make treatments work better.
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Controlling the spread of high-risk liver tumors in children
This study is looking at how certain cancer cells in the blood of children with hepatoblastoma, especially those with tougher cases, can make treatment less effective, and it hopes to find new ways to help these kids get better.
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Using blood DNA 5hmC markers and the SCCG chemotherapy protocol to predict response and monitor relapse in children with hepatoblastoma
This trial will test whether a blood-based DNA marker (5hmC) together with the SCCG treatment plan can predict chemotherapy response and detect recurrence in children and adolescents with hepatoblastoma.
-
Pucotenlimab with lenvatinib and chemotherapy for children with advanced or relapsed hepatoblastoma
This study will test whether pucotenlimab combined with lenvatinib and irinotecan can help children aged 2–18 whose hepatoblastoma did not respond to prior treatments.
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.