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The University of Cincinnati Cancer Center Pilot Project Award Program is dedicated to advancing cancer research by providing pilot funding to our faculty investigators. The program is supported by generous contributions from the following partners: Allison Kingston Fund, The Bergman Family Research Fund, Brandon C. Gromada Head and Neck Cancer Research Pilot Grant, Clara Barton Leukemia Fund, Grier Urologic Cancer Research & Education, Gynecological Research Fund, Ride Cincinnati, Susan Drakeford Tucker Endowment Fund and the Tim Kimmel Family Lung Cancer Research Fund.
The goals of the Pilot Project Award Program are to:
Eight Cancer Center members received funding for their pilot projects in the Fall 2024 cycle. Congratulations to all the awardees!
Interrogation of Glutaredoxin 2 in Acute Myeloid Leukemia Stem Cells
“Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a devasting blood cancer with particularly poor outcomes,” said Dr. Jones. “Most AML patients respond to current therapies. However, a small subset of cells called leukemia stem cells (LSCs) evade therapy and drive relapse disease. Our proposed work seeks to target LSCs to improve patient outcomes. Specifically, the focus of our grant is to interrogate the essentiality of protein glutathionylation as a novel vulnerability in LSCs. Upon successful completion of the proposed work, we will have identified a new approach to target LSCs.”
The Interrogation of Glutaredoxin 2 in Acute Myeloid Leukemia Stem Cells study, led by Dr. Jones, seeks to target leukemia stem cells (LSCs) to improve patient outcomes. To do this, the team will determine the essentiality of protein glutathionylation as a novel vulnerability in LSCs. Upon successful completion of this study, the team will have identified a new approach to target LSCs.
Dr. Jones and the research team are celebrating a significant step forward in their investigative efforts. Reflecting on this award, Dr. Jones emphasized the dual impact of the grant, highlighting both its financial support and the invaluable feedback received during the review process.
“This grant will provide funding for preliminary studies required to obtain larger external grants,” shared Dr. Jones. “In addition, the thoughtful comments from reviewers have helped us hone our research questions to better position our work moving forward.”
Dr. Jones also highlighted the pivotal role of collaboration and community in advancing scientific discovery, reflecting on the impact that membership of the University of Cincinnati Cancer Center has had on her research efforts.
“Furthermore, my Cancer Center membership has helped to advance this research by connecting me with the broader Cancer Center community,” Dr. Jones expressed. “This has provided essential feedback on many of my research projects and helped to develop new collaborations.”
Treating cancer radiotherapy-induced cardiac damage with engineered bacteria
“Radiation therapy, while effective in treating cancer, often leads to long-term complications, including heart disease and systemic inflammation,” explained Dr. Kotagiri. “This research seeks to create a dual-action therapy that safeguards the gut and heart.”
Radiation therapy can harm both the gut and the heart, creating a cycle of inflammation. Protecting the gut can significantly reduce heart-related complications. The Treating cancer radiotherapy-induced cardiac damage with engineered bacteria study, led by Dr. Kotagiri, focuses on developing a novel therapy using beneficial bacteria to combat side effects caused by radiation therapy, specifically addressing gut and heart damage.
This therapy leverages naturally occurring gut bacteria, engineered to deliver anti-inflammatory compounds and promote gut health. These modified bacteria work to safeguard the gut lining, alleviate inflammation and repair heart tissue damage. By targeting the chronic side effects of cancer treatments, the research seeks to improve recovery outcomes and survival rates for cancer patients.
“This project seeks to address critical challenges in cancer therapy by focusing on mitigating the severe side effects of radiation-induced heart disease (RIHD) and gut barrier dysfunction,” he shared. “It makes a shift towards integrative, microbiome-based therapeutic strategies that have the potential to not only improve patients' quality of life but also offer a new approach in managing radiation therapy side effects.”
Dr. Kotagiri also emphasized the vital role the Cancer Center has played in advancing innovative research, reflecting on the support and opportunities provided.
“Cancer Center membership has helped in fostering multidisciplinary collaborations and networking opportunities,” Dr. Kotagiri expressed. “Funding support from the center has been critical in testing novel ideas and generating preliminary data for exploring multi-year federal funding opportunities.”
A novel lipid nanoparticle for the delivery of RNA to develop lung cancer and vascular malformation mouse models
“Lipid nanoparticles have been proven to be a safe delivery tool for the COVID-19 mRNA vaccine,” said Dr. Maeda. “However, despite this success, lipid nanoparticles have not yet been fully explored for use in cancer research and therapeutics. This award provides us with an opportunity to rapidly develop lung cancer mouse models in a convenient fashion using lipid nanoparticles that deliver a CRISPR/Cas9 genome editor.”
Lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) are tiny, spherical particles made of lipids that are used to deliver drugs and other substances, such as mRNA, chemotherapy agents and antibiotics. The A novel lipid nanoparticle for the delivery of RNA to develop lung cancer and vascular malformation mouse models study, led by Dr. Maeda, focuses on creating lung cancer models to test the efficacy of novel therapeutics, such as utilizing lipid nanoparticles to deliver a CRISPR/Cas9 genome editor, which is a genome editing tool that allows scientists to alter an organism’s DNA by adding, removing or changing genetic material at specific locations.
“The technology that we are developing will help the lung cancer research community test experimental cancer drugs in a streamlined fashion,” explained Dr. Maeda. “This award will aid in the generation of multiple lung cancer animal models, including smoking and non-smoking related lung cancers, and will expedite the discovery, development and approval of new lung cancer therapies.”
Highlighting a groundbreaking advancement in cancer research, Dr. Maeda also shared the success of this innovative approach to genetic editing thus far.
“We succeeded in creating novel nanoparticles that can deliver a CRISPR/Cas9 genome editor into lung, liver and spleen,” he shared. “This achievement resulted in the development of autochthonous lung tumors driven by multiple oncogenes in immunocompetent mice inexpensively and in just two months. This technology will help to accelerate cancer research not only for lung cancer but also other cancers/tumors, especially liver cancer and vascular malformation.”
Using Artificial Intelligence to Improve Cancer Registry Data Collection in LMICs
“Cancer registries are critical for public health,” explained Dr. Sabourin. “Registries provide critical data to identify prevalent and rising cancers in an area. These data guide research priorities, resource allocation and financial support for cancer care and prevention, ultimately helping to reduce cancer cases and improve outcomes.”
The Using Artificial Intelligence to Improve Cancer Registry Data Collection in LMICs study, led by Dr. Sabourin, focuses on applying artificial intelligence (AI) to improve data collection and extraction of cancer registry data. This project uses cancer registry data from Kenya, a low- and middle-income country (LMIC), to develop and validate AI technologies to assist with cancer-specific data abstraction from paper medical records. These technologies can be used in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) to overcome common barriers, such as insufficient resources and infrastructure, as well as trained personnel to enhance cancer registry infrastructure.
“My research has involved working with cancer registry data in Kenya and Zimbabwe, which gave me first-hand experience with the barriers to creating comprehensive cancer registries in LMICs,” she shared. “These barriers included paper-based medical records, insufficient resources and limited trained personnel to complete cancer data abstractions. Then, I became interested in how technologies can be applied to make cancer data abstraction and collection more efficient.”
The results of this pilot will serve as foundational data for future funding opportunities, with the objective of extending these technologies to additional resource-constrained settings. Through the application of AI to cancer datasets, Dr. Sabourin aims to develop adaptable solutions for strengthening cancer registry infrastructure on a global scale.
“Improved cancer data collection provides more accurate estimates of cancer incidence, outcomes and survival, and it can also support informed decision-making for national cancer control programs,” she explained. “This project will test strategies that can be applied and expanded to other regions facing similar challenges, helping to scale cancer research globally in underserved areas, not just LMICs.”
Reflecting on the pivotal role of the Cancer Center in her professional journey, Dr. Sabourin highlighted how its resources and collaborative environment have been instrumental in shaping her research.
“Through my Cancer Center membership, I have been able to advance my research by collaborating with experts in cancer data sciences,” she expressed. “I have also been able to take advantage of the biostatistical support provided by the Cancer Center. In addition, the funding granted to me through this program supports my ability to produce preliminary data that can be used for future grant development. This support is critical for me as an early career investigator building my research program.”
The Role of EphB1 in Uterine Tumor Progression
“EphB1 overexpression can be tumor promoting or tumor suppressing depending on the cancer and the environment,” explained Dr. Schutte. “While our results will be specific to uterine tumors, they may also provide insight and suggest possible reasons for the difference in the effect of tumors in other cancers.”
EphB1 receptors, also known as Ephrin type-B receptor 1, are a type of receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) that play a role in many physiological and pathological processes. EphB1 receptors are part of the Eph receptor family, the largest family of RTKs in mammals. Eph receptors are involved in many processes, including cancer, neurogenesis, pain, and axon guidance.
“EphB1 receptors can be diagnostic or prognostic in some cancers,” she explained. “This is the first time that they have been studied in uterine tumors. We found that the receptor number increases with compression in fibroid cells, as are some additional related proteins. These receptors are also elevated in native fibroids and leiomyosarcoma, an aggressive chemo-resistant cancer also originating in the uterine muscle.”
The Role of EphB1 in Uterine Tumor Progression study, led by Dr. Schutte, will investigate how EphB1 expression influences cell migration, proliferation and invasion. Differences in compression will allow the team to understand how this expression interacts with other compression related changes. By comparing these effects in the two different tumors, they can learn more about the role of EphB1 in tumor promotion. The use of a benign and malignant cell type will give insights into the differences between the cells and the environment leading to improved knowledge for both diseases.
“Mechanical forces due to tumor growth and movement do influence tumor growth,” explained Dr. Schutte. “The uterine myometrium gives us a unique chance to study two very different tumors that develop in the same environment and even have cells with similar mutations. Comparing these cells will allow us to more quickly understand mechanisms that influence malignancy and tumor invasion.”
Highlighting the collaborative environment fostered by the Cancer Center, Dr. Schutte reflected on the valuable connections and insights gained through its resources.
“The Cancer Center has really helped me in connecting with potential collaborators, which has been beneficial for this work as well as other projects,” she shared. “Furthermore, the feedback from the reviewers and from researchers during the poster session has been very helpful.”
The Influence of Culture and Social Networks on Cancer Care: A Focused Ethnographic Study of Rural Appalachian Ohio
“Appalachians experience increased rates of cancer incidence and mortality compared to non-Appalachian populations,” explained Dr. Lee. “Despite advances in cancer prevention and treatment across the U.S., cancer disparities persist in the Appalachian Region, which has a cancer mortality rate of 184 per 100,000 population (10% above the national rate).”
The Influence of Culture and Social Networks on Cancer Care: A Focused Ethnographic Study of Rural Appalachian Ohio study, led by Dr. Lee, focuses on understanding how sociocultural factors influence cancer care in two rural Appalachian communities in Ohio. Recognizing the role of Appalachian culture in shaping health beliefs, the research aims to identify culturally informed knowledge, beliefs, and practices about cancer care. Through interviews with residents of Brown and Adams Counties, including individuals with and without cancer, the project will explore barriers and facilitators to care, as well as sources of social support and cancer-related information within their social networks.
“Results from thematic and social network analysis of data collected during this study will provide a critical foundation for future community-based interventions,” explained Dr. Lee. “It will also afford an opportunity to grow community connections and promote trust and community engagement in other cancer research.”
With a long-standing commitment to promoting health equity, Dr. Lee highlighted her dedication to developing culturally tailored interventions for vulnerable populations. She shared how her research, which is rooted in community engagement, is now expanding to address cancer health disparities in rural Appalachian communities.
“My 18-year research career has been focused on health promotion among vulnerable populations through the development of culturally tailored interventions to reduce and eliminate health disparities,” she said. “The majority of these research projects have utilized community-engaged research strategies to allow community members in urban settings to have a voice in addressing the health issues impacting their communities. This funding will afford me the opportunity to expand my research focus to include addressing cancer health disparities impacting two rural Appalachian communities in Ohio.”
Reflecting on the profound impact of her upbringing, Dr. Lee shared how her experiences as a first-generation Appalachian shaped her perspectives on health and illness and recounted formative moments from her childhood that influenced her understanding of cancer and health beliefs.
“As a first-generation Appalachian, I spent my entire childhood immersed in rural Appalachian culture,” she shared. “This culture and my lived experiences have influenced my views of the world, and my health beliefs, attitudes and practices related to health promotion and disease prevention, including cancer. My first experience with death was during my early adolescence, when I lost two people close to me due to cancer. My best friend spent time traveling back and forth from our small hometown to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital, ultimately succumbing to leukemia when we were in 6th grade. The following year, my uncle died from lung cancer. Both losses, the family discussions overheard regarding cancer and the grief that ensued were critical moments in my development and early understanding of the world.”
Racial Disparities and the Role of Imaging Delay in Breast Cancer Survival among Black Women across the UCCC's 10-County Catchment Area: An Analysis Using EPIC/EMR Data
“Racial disparities in breast cancer outcomes persist, with African American/Black and Hispanic women in Cincinnati experiencing worse survival rates due to systemic barriers,” explained Dr. Ghosh. “Policies, like HB371, can play a crucial role in reducing these disparities by improving early access to screenings and treatments. This research seeks to create actionable solutions that make breast cancer care more equitable for all, particularly in underserved communities.”
The Racial Disparities and the Role of Imaging Delay in Breast Cancer Survival among Black Women across the UCCC's 10-County Catchment Area: An Analysis Using EPIC/EMR Data study, led by Dr. Ghosh, will examine associations with race, ethnicity, age of breast cancer diagnosis and other socio-economic variables, such as insurance type, income, educational level, distance to the Cancer Center, transportation challenges, smoking status, obesity level and stage at diagnosis. This study will also measure the impact of race and other socioeconomic factors on survival outcomes in 40-year and older patients with breast cancer.
Dr. Ghosh emphasized the importance of tackling racial disparities in breast cancer care, particularly within the Cancer Center’s catchment area, and highlighted how this award supports her mission to address socioeconomic barriers and systemic biases.
“My work, overall, focuses on identifying and addressing socioeconomic barriers and the systemic bias that contribute to racial disparities in breast cancer care,” she shared. “This award is a pivotal step in addressing racial disparities in breast cancer care in the Cancer Center’s catchment area. It represents a commitment to understanding and eliminating the systemic inequities that disproportionately affect African American/Black and Hispanic women in accessing timely breast cancer diagnosis and effective treatment. For me, this is an opportunity to translate economic and policy research into actionable strategies that ensure equity in cancer outcomes.”
Highlighting the critical role of the University of Cincinnati Cancer Center in her work, Dr. Ghosh expressed gratitude for the mentorship and resources that have advanced her research. She shared how the Cancer Center’s collaborative environment and data access have been essential in her work.
“My membership of the Cancer Center has been invaluable in advancing this research,” she said. “My mentor, Melinda Butsch Kovacic, introduced me to the Cancer Center network. The Cancer Center provides access to robust data, fosters interdisciplinary collaboration and supports efforts to translate research findings into policy and practice. This environment has been instrumental in addressing racial disparities in breast cancer care and amplifying the impact of initiatives like HB371 in Cincinnati and beyond.”
Rationally Combining PLK1 Inhibition with Anti-Androgen Therapy or HER2 Inhibition for Improved Outcomes in Salivary Ductal Cancer
“Salivary duct carcinoma (SDC) is a type of head and neck cancer that can easily spread to other body parts, or metastasize,” explained Dr. Takiar. “Currently, there are no targeted therapeutics for this disease. Rationally combining drug delivery is being explored to effectively target SDC and to increase the anti-cancer effect of radiation therapy.”
The Rationally Combining PLK1 Inhibition with Anti-Androgen Therapy or HER2 Inhibition for Improved Outcomes in Salivary Ductal Cancer study, led by Dr. Takiar and her graduate student Shreya Shyamsunder, seeks to explore the untapped potential of combining anti-androgens with PLK1 inhibition in head and neck cancer. By investigating this novel therapeutic synergy, the team aims to highlight the promise of combinatorial strategies in enhancing responses to standard-of-care treatments, including ionizing radiation (IR) therapy. Additionally, this work will delve into the underlying signaling mechanisms driving the synergistic anti-tumor effects, paving the way for more effective and targeted interventions.
“SDCs frequently overexpress androgen receptors (AR) and HER2,” informed Dr. Takiar. “PLK1, a mitotic kinase essential for cell cycle regulation, is overexpressed in head and neck cancers and is associated with poor survival outcomes. Anti-androgen therapies have been shown to sensitize metastatic prostate cancer cells to PLK1 inhibitors, enhancing their anti-tumor effects. Building on these findings, this study will evaluate whether anti-androgen therapies can enhance the sensitivity of SDCs to PLK1 inhibition (via Onvansertib), achieving a synergistic anti-tumor effect. Additionally, the project will explore the impact of combining PLK1 inhibitors and anti-androgen therapies on the radiosensitivity of SDC. By addressing these objectives, this work will pave the way for more effective and targeted therapeutic strategies for SDC treatment.”
Reflecting on the benefits of collaboration and innovation, Dr. Takiar highlighted how her membership with the University of Cincinnati Cancer Center has supported her team’s research efforts.
“Our lab focuses on ways to make radiation therapy for head and neck cancer treatment more effective,” she shared. “Cancer Center membership has allowed my team and I to network with other investigators. It also allows us to explore novel approaches to treatment via pilot programs, such as this one.”
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