Watching how cancer cells form metastatic tumors
Imaging mechanisms of metastatic tumor formation in situ
This project uses live imaging and molecular tools to watch how pediatric sarcoma and melanoma cells spread and form new tumors so scientists can find ways to stop metastasis.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Ut Southwestern Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Dallas, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11184479 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers will build a high-resolution live-imaging platform using zebrafish embryos to watch human tumor cells as they colonize distant sites. They will study how changes in the membrane adaptor protein Caveolin-1 affect metastatic behavior in pediatric sarcoma and how variation in lipid metabolism shapes melanoma spread. The work combines high-throughput screening of many embryos with detailed single-cell imaging and molecular/metabolic probes. The goal is to pinpoint the cell-level signals and microenvironments that allow metastases to start.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with pediatric sarcoma or melanoma who can donate tumor tissue for research or who are interested in future trials based on metastasis biology would be most relevant.
Not a fit: Patients with unrelated conditions or those seeking immediate treatment effects are unlikely to gain direct clinical benefit from this basic-science imaging program.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal new targets or biomarkers to prevent or detect metastatic spread earlier and guide future treatments.
How similar studies have performed: Zebrafish tumor xenografts and live imaging have been used successfully before, but integrating multi-scale imaging with Caveolin-1 and lipid-metabolism analyses is a relatively new approach.
Where this research is happening
Dallas, United States
- Ut Southwestern Medical Center — Dallas, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Danuser, Gaudenz — Ut Southwestern Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Danuser, Gaudenz
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 below.