NIH-funded research R01 grant

Understanding Unusual Glycogen in Lung Cancer Growth

Official title: Aberrant Glycogen in Lung Adenocarcinoma Tumorigenesis

Funded at University of Florida · NIH-11109727 · Data updated 2026-11-12

This project explores how unusual glycogen, a type of sugar storage, contributes to the growth of lung adenocarcinoma, the most common type of lung cancer.

Quick facts

Grant typeR01 grant
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionUniversity of Florida
NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Gainesville, United States)
Project startJuly 1, 2022
Project endJune 30, 2027
Funding year2025
Award (this year)$531,350
NIH project number5R01CA266004-05
Project IDNIH-11109727 on NIH RePORTER

Who could benefit from this research

Could help

This foundational research is focused on understanding the biology of lung adenocarcinoma and does not directly involve patient participation at this stage.

Less likely to help

Patients seeking immediate new treatments or clinical trial opportunities would not directly benefit from this basic science research.

What this research studies

Lung adenocarcinoma is a serious type of lung cancer, and for many patients, current treatments don't offer a high chance of long-term survival. We need to find new ways to understand how this cancer grows so we can develop more effective, personalized treatments. Our team has found that a sugar storage molecule called glycogen behaves unusually in lung adenocarcinoma cells, and we've developed a special imaging technique to see this glycogen in great detail. We believe that by understanding these unique glycogen patterns and the proteins involved, we can uncover new targets for therapies that could specifically attack lung cancer cells.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to new ways to identify lung adenocarcinoma earlier and develop more targeted treatments for patients.

How similar studies have gone: Previous studies, including our own preliminary work, have shown that glycogen plays an important role in lung tumor progression, suggesting this is a promising area for further investigation.

Where this research is happening

  • University of Florida
    Gainesville, United States
    Active

Researchers

  • Principal investigator: Sun, Ramon C. — University of Florida
  • Study coordinator: Sun, Ramon C.

Related research

Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.

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.
Last reviewed 2026-11-14 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.