Understanding why lung cancer treatments stop working
Official title: Elucidating the role of support signaling in promoting minimal residual disease in mouse models of oncogene-driven lung cancer
Funded at University of Tx Md Anderson Can Ctr · NIH-11117158 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This work aims to understand why some lung cancer cells survive targeted treatments, leading to drug resistance in patients.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Tx Md Anderson Can Ctr NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Houston, United States) |
| Project start | February 1, 2020 |
| Project end | June 30, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $249,000 |
| NIH project number | 5R00CA246084-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11117158 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
This research is most relevant to patients with lung cancer, particularly those whose tumors have specific genetic mutations that are currently treated with targeted therapies.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without lung cancer or those whose cancer does not involve the specific genetic pathways being studied may not directly benefit from this particular research.
What this research studies
Even with advanced treatments for lung cancer, a small number of cancer cells can remain, causing the cancer to return or become resistant to drugs. This project explores how certain signals within these remaining cancer cells, specifically involving genes like EGFR and ERBB, help them survive treatment. By using advanced genetic models and organoids, we hope to uncover the specific roles these signals play in drug resistance. Our goal is to find new ways to target these resistant cells and improve long-term outcomes for patients.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to new strategies to overcome drug resistance in lung cancer, allowing treatments to be more effective for longer periods.
How similar studies have gone: While targeted therapies have shown initial success in lung cancer, the problem of drug resistance is a known challenge that this research aims to address.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Tx Md Anderson Can Ctr
Houston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Vaishnavi, Aria — University of Tx Md Anderson Can Ctr
- Study coordinator: Vaishnavi, Aria
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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.