Understanding Pre-Cancer Changes in the Colon

Human Pre-Cancer Models

NIH-funded research Vanderbilt University Medical Center · NIH-11176225

This work creates and studies models of pre-cancerous colon cells and immune cells to help us learn more about how colon cancer starts.

Quick facts

Grant typeNIH-funded research
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionVanderbilt University Medical Center NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Nashville, United States)
Project IDNIH-11176225 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

This project establishes a central resource to grow and study pre-cancerous colon cells, called organoids, from patient samples. Researchers will also isolate specific immune cells, like neutrophils and T cells, from patients to understand their role in early cancer development. These resources will support several related projects, helping scientists explore new ideas and conduct future studies on colon cancer prevention. The goal is to build a comprehensive collection of human colon models with detailed patient information to advance our understanding of pre-cancer.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Patients who have donated colon tissue (normal, pre-cancerous, or cancerous) or blood samples for research may have contributed to the resources used in this work.

Not a fit: Patients seeking immediate treatment for active colon cancer or those not at risk for colon cancer may not directly benefit from this specific foundational research.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: This foundational work could lead to a deeper understanding of how colon cancer develops, potentially paving the way for new ways to prevent or detect it early.

How similar studies have performed: The project leverages existing institutional infrastructure and experience from previous colorectal cancer research, suggesting a solid foundation for this new core facility.

Where this research is happening

Nashville, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Conditions Cancer Center
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.