Federal Grant Award Summary

Oregon Health & Science University received a $625,179 Project Grant from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) under the Cancer Treatment Research program (CFDA 93.395) awarded on March 26, 2026, with completion targeted for February 28, 2031. The award funds research aimed at developing direct and indirect targeting strategies of the MCL1 (myeloid cell leukemia-1) protein to improve therapeutic outcomes for osteosarcoma patients with lung metastasis. The research will deliver novel bioengineered bone and lung models for real-time cell tracking, identification and validation of promising MCL1 inhibitors, and preclinical safety evaluations through in vivo studies.

The project encompasses two primary research aims: (1) establishing the role of MCL1 in lung metastasis using engineered tissue models while identifying and testing the safety of optimal MCL1 inhibitors, particularly in combination with cyclophosphamide; and (2) characterizing microenvironment-driven signaling mechanisms that regulate MCL1 in the lung, identifying critical ligand-receptor interactions, and evaluating receptor-level inhibitors both individually and in combination with low-dose MCL1 inhibitors. The research deliverables will provide evidence to support future clinical trials by validating MCL1 as a therapeutic target and demonstrating approaches to enhance efficacy while reducing treatment toxicity in osteosarcoma metastatic disease.