This federal Project Grant award of $781,436 from the National Cancer Institute (CFDA 93.395 - Cancer Treatment Research) supports research by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) to optimize anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) antibodies for the treatment of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). The key goals are to: 1) establish an orthotopic mouse model with inducible NMDAR expression in TNBC tumors, 2) screen for NMDAR-reactive antibodies and use cryo-electron microscopy to identify...
The National Cancer Institute (CFDA 93.396 - Cancer Biology Research) awarded a $571,496 Project Grant to the University of Toledo Health Science Campus Division to conduct research aimed at understanding the mechanisms by which the tumor-intrinsic TAZ expression regulates the tumor microenvironment and immune suppressive cells like myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). The research project, titled "Dissecting Molecular Mechanisms of Tumor-Induced...
This $369,868 Project Grant award from the National Cancer Institute (CFDA 93.396 - Cancer Biology Research) supports research to investigate the functional role of mitochondrial transfer from nerves to breast cancer cells, and how this process impacts cancer metastasis and the generation of cancer stem cells. The project aims to use innovative lineage-tracing techniques to quantify the contribution of nerve-to-cancer mitochondrial transfer to the breast cancer metastasis cascade, and evaluate...
The National Cancer Institute (NCI) awarded Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) a $1,241,427 Project Grant under the Cancer Treatment Research program (CFDA 93.395) to develop and evaluate a small molecule inhibitor called PDZ1I for treating advanced, metastatic triple negative breast cancer (TNBC). The project aims to formulate PDZ1I-nano for clinical use, characterize how it stimulates the immune system to suppress tumor growth, define the signaling pathways it targets, and combine it...
This Project Grant award from the National Cancer Institute (CFDA 93.395 - Cancer Treatment Research) provides $631,492 to The University of Kentucky Research Foundation to conduct research aimed at identifying nicotinamide N-methyltransferase (NNMT) as a new target for treating triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). The key goals are to define how NNMT promotes anchorage-independent growth and protects TNBC cells from ferroptosis, evaluate the efficacy of a newly developed NNMT bisubstrate...
This Project Grant award from the National Cancer Institute (NCI), under the federal Cancer Research Manpower (CFDA 93.398) program, supports research on the functional role of Wnt/Ca2+ signaling in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) metastasis and chemoresistance. The $125,834 award, effective from March 7, 2025 to February 28, 2027, will be executed by the Baylor College of Medicine. The key objectives are to: 1) establish a mouse model to measure intracellular Ca2+ levels and unravel the...
This Project Grant award from the National Cancer Institute (CFDA 93.395 - Cancer Treatment Research) supports the development of a CD4 TCR-engineered T cell immunotherapy for the treatment of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). The award of $1,001,029.00 will fund the generation of a GMP-grade master cell bank and viral particles for the IMT-422 (CD4 TCR-STEM T cells) product, as well as the determination of its pharmacokinetics, biodistribution, and toxicity. This work aims to accelerate the...
The National Cancer Institute (NCI) awarded a $226,504 Project Grant (CFDA 93.396 - Cancer Biology Research) to the Rector & Visitors of the University of Virginia (UVA) to elucidate the role of B/T cell-enriched immune aggregates in immune surveillance against triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). The project aims to study how these novel immune aggregates form and function to control pre-malignant progression of TNBC, which could inform future strategies to enhance immune surveillance...
This federal Project Grant award of $590,625 from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) under the Cancer Treatment Research program (CFDA 93.395) supports research at the University of California, Davis (UC Davis) to develop a novel therapeutic strategy targeting mutant p53 in triple negative breast cancers (TNBCs). The key objectives are to: 1) determine how mutant p53 expression is regulated by the CDK4/6-RBM38-eIF4G axis and the role of mutant p53 as a target of CDK4/6 inhibitors to suppress...
This Project Grant award from the National Cancer Institute (CFDA 93.398 - Cancer Research Manpower) will provide $144,768 to Trustees of Indiana University, doing business as Indiana University Indianapolis, to conduct research on PIK3C2A as a potential immunotherapeutic target for treating triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). The research aims to elucidate the mechanism by which inhibiting PIK3C2A can enhance tumor antigen presentation and potentiate the anti-tumor effects of immune...
This Project Grant award from the National Cancer Institute (CFDA 93.398 Cancer Research Manpower) provides $134,274 to Tufts University School of Medicine to investigate the role of the TRPV1 ion channel in promoting sensory nerve innervation of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) tumors. The primary goals are to: 1) determine how TNBC cell secretions stimulate TRPV1 on sensory nerves, leading to increased neurite outgrowth and tumor innervation; 2) utilize 2D and 3D models to further elucidate this mechanism; and 3) evaluate the impact of TRPV1 inhibition on reducing sensory nerve infiltration into TNBC tumors in vivo. Successful completion of this research could identify TRPV1 as a novel target to limit TNBC metastasis and improve patient outcomes. The award period runs from December 1, 2024 to June 30, 2028.