The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center received a $626,893 federal Project Grant award from the National Cancer Institute's Cancer Biology Research program (CFDA 93.396) to conduct research on the role of bacterial-colonized microniches within tumors and their impact on intratumoral heterogeneity and cancer progression. The key objectives of this 5-year project are to: 1) functionally map the spatial distribution and cellular/metabolic features of these bacterial-colonized microniches within patient tumor tissues; 2) delineate the human cell types harboring intracellular bacteria and the transcriptional impacts; and 3) examine the role of the oncomicrobe Fusobacterium nucleatum in remodeling the tumor microenvironment in animal models. The research aims to advance the mechanistic understanding of host-microbiota interactions within the tumor ecosystem and potentially reveal new approaches for cancer prevention and treatment.