Using tailored meals to reduce cancer risk from ultra-processed foods
Official title: Integrating a Multi-Omics Cohort Study with a Medically Tailored Meal Intervention to Target Ultra-Processed Foods for Colorectal Cancer Prevention and Control
Funded at Harvard School of Public Health · NIH-11035518 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how eating ultra-processed foods might be connected to colorectal cancer and aims to help people at risk by offering personalized meal plans that could improve their gut health and overall outcomes.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Career grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Harvard School of Public Health NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | May 1, 2025 |
| Project end | April 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $142,295 |
| NIH project number | 1K99CA297022-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11035518 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research include adults over 21 years old who are at risk for colorectal cancer due to their diet or other health factors.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who do not consume ultra-processed foods or those with no risk factors for colorectal cancer may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates the link between ultra-processed foods and colorectal cancer, aiming to identify specific gut microbes and metabolites that contribute to this risk. By integrating a medically tailored meal intervention into cancer care, the study seeks to provide personalized dietary strategies for individuals at risk of colorectal cancer. Participants will be involved in a multi-omics approach, analyzing their gut health and dietary habits to develop effective prevention and control methods. The research will focus on understanding how dietary changes can improve outcomes for colorectal cancer patients.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to personalized dietary interventions that significantly reduce the risk of colorectal cancer and improve survivorship.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown promising results in dietary interventions for cancer prevention, suggesting that this approach may yield beneficial outcomes.
Where this research is happening
-
Harvard School of Public Health
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Du, Mengxi — Harvard School of Public Health
- Study coordinator: Du, Mengxi
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Improving colorectal cancer screening and follow-up care.
This study is working to help more people get screened for colorectal cancer and receive the follow-up care they need, especially those who haven't been screened much before, so that everyone can have better access to important health checks and improve their overall health.
-
Colorectal cancer prognosis through a broad, collaborative study
A large, multi-center study follows people newly diagnosed with colorectal cancer to find biomarkers and patterns that predict outcomes and guide future care.
-
Ceramides and how they affect metabolism and colorectal cancer in adults
A study in adults with obesity-related health issues will explore how a fat-related molecule called ceramide influences metabolic problems and colorectal cancer risk.
-
Automated point-of-care DNA methylation test for colorectal cancer in LMICs
A fast, affordable blood test using DNA markers to help identify people at higher risk of colorectal cancer in low- and middle-income countries.
-
Rewiring Colorectal Cancer to Harness Therapeutic Hyperactivation
A Yale team is exploring brain-storming new ways to treat colorectal cancer by safely boosting certain cancer signaling pathways to kill cancer cells and by reshaping cancer cell states to improve responses to existing therapies.
-
Comparative modeling to guide colorectal cancer screening and care
A researcher team will use computer models to study how access to care, risk, and new screening options affect colorectal cancer outcomes and costs for adults in the US.
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.