This federal Project Grant award from the National Cancer Institute (under CFDA 93.395 - Cancer Treatment Research) provides $622,329 to Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) to conduct research aimed at improving the treatment of triple negative breast cancer (TNBC).
The research has three key objectives: 1) Formulating and characterizing a novel small molecule inhibitor called PDZ1i-Nano, including evaluating its impact on the immune system's response against TNBC tumors; 2) Defining the molecular signaling pathways regulated by the MDA-9 protein to promote metastasis; and 3) Combining PDZ1i-Nano with the standard chemotherapy Paclitaxel to enhance the treatment of TNBC in both adjuvant and neoadjuvant settings. The goal is to develop a combinatorial therapeutic approach that can simultaneously inhibit the spread and growth of advanced, metastatic TNBC. The award period runs from August 2024 through July 2029.
Generated 3/25/25, 3:38 AM