Urine test to find circular DNA linked to bladder cancer
Official title: Novel Technologies to Isolate and Analyze Extrachromosomal DNAs for Diagnostic Applications
Funded at Phinomics INC. · NIH-11137755 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project is building a urine-based test that looks for circular pieces of DNA related to bladder cancer to help with detection and monitoring.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Sbir 2 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Phinomics INC. NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Palo Alto, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2023 |
| Project end | July 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $1,084,044 |
| NIH project number | 5R44GM151907-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11137755 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates would be people with known or suspected bladder cancer or those under surveillance for recurrence who can provide urine samples.
✕Less likely to help
People without bladder-related conditions or whose tumors do not shed detectable eccDNA into urine may not benefit from this approach.
What this research studies
You would provide a urine sample so researchers can isolate intact circular DNA molecules (called eccDNA) that come from cells in the urinary tract. The team will use sequencing and epigenetic analysis plus new physical and computer-based methods to map and characterize these circular DNAs. Their goal is to identify patterns of eccDNA that are specific to bladder tumors and could serve as noninvasive markers. The work focuses on making a practical lab and bioinformatics process that could be used on patient urine samples.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could offer a noninvasive urine-based way to detect or monitor bladder cancer earlier or more precisely.
How similar studies have gone: Sequencing studies have recently mapped eccDNA in tissues, but using urine-based eccDNA testing as a clinical diagnostic for bladder cancer is novel and still early-stage.
Where this research is happening
-
Phinomics INC.
Palo Alto, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Shoura, Massa — Phinomics INC.
- Study coordinator: Shoura, Massa
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.