Federal Project Grant Award Summary

The National Cancer Institute awarded The Leland Stanford Junior University a Project Grant of $635,340 (awarded May 4, 2026, with completion targeted for April 30, 2031) under the Cancer Cause and Prevention Research program (CFDA 93.393) to conduct functional genomic dissection of lung cancer in vivo. The research delivers comprehensive analysis of tumor suppressor gene function through an integrated approach combining genetically engineered mouse models, multiplexed CRISPR (Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats)-based genome editing, and tumor barcoding techniques. Specifically, the research will systematically inactivate approximately 10,000 genes in KRAS-driven mouse lung tumor models to quantify their effects on tumor initiation and growth, identifying key genetic determinants of lung carcinogenesis and generating mechanistic insights into the molecular pathways underlying tumorigenesis.

The project further delivers comparative genetic epistasis analyses across multiple oncogenic contexts—including EGFR-, KRAS-, and BRAF-driven lung tumors—to determine how tumor suppressor genes function across various genomic backgrounds. This research addresses a critical gap in cancer biology by moving beyond traditional cell line and single-model approaches to provide a comprehensive, large-scale assessment of tumor suppressor gene function in physiologically relevant in vivo contexts, ultimately advancing the understanding of cancer development and informing future cancer prevention and therapeutic strategies.