Cancer cells with hybrid epithelial and mesenchymal phenotypes for deformability-based classification
About This Grant
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is one of the deadliest tumors, highlighting the need for tools and prognostic markers capable of detecting metastasis and drug resistance. While circulating tumor cells (CTCs) from liquid biopsies offer prognostic information on disease progression, metastasis, and therapy response, their heterogeneity limits detection by immunofluorescence imaging, especially for so-called hybrid CTCs (H-CTCs) that express epithelial and mesenchymal markers to varying levels. Since CTCs with increasing mesenchymal expression exhibit progressively higher deformability levels than those with epithelial expression, this project seeks to advance single-cell deformability as a complementary metric to immunofluorescence for quantifying heterogeneous H-CTCs over a progression of epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) states. For this purpose, a perfusable system for co-culture with cancer associated fibroblasts will be developed to generate PDAC cells expressing a progression of hybrid mesenchymal and epithelial states over varying levels through modulating secretory factors under shear stress and hypoxia conditions. The EMT states of PDAC cells validated by immunofluorescence will be classified on single-cell biophysical metrics obtained under microfluidic viscoelastic extensional flows to assess single-cell deformation and recovery dynamics. Using microgels of known stiffness levels as co-flowing standards, multilayer perceptron-based neural network training approaches will be used to learn the non-linear relationships between deformability metrics of H-CTCs over a progression of EMT states. In this manner, heterogeneous samples of H-CTCs will be generated at concentration levels and in sample matrices that resemble their levels in portal vein samples for their classification on deformability metrics and downstream validation against immunofluorescence for utilization in disease prognosis. This will lay the foundation for future work on microfluidic enrichment of CTCs from liquid biopsies to detect their heterogeneity, using portal vein samples obtained from a splenic injection mouse model of liver metastasis with implanted GFP- expressing cancer cells, so that the shed CTC numbers from bioluminescence at various disease stages under circulation, micro metastases and tumor progression can be compared to the heterogeneity of their EMT states.
Grant Summary
Cancer cells with hybrid epithelial and mesenchymal phenotypes for deformability-based classification is a NCI - National Cancer Institute grant providing up to $162K for university, nonprofit, healthcare org. Applications are due 2028-05-31 (open). Check eligibility and apply with FindGrants.
Not quite the right fit?
Search 9,000+ open grants, or get matches ranked for your organization — free.
Focus Areas
Eligibility
How to Apply
Up to $162K
2028-05-31
- 1Confirm your organization is eligible for Cancer cells with hybrid epithelial and mesenchymal phenotypes for deformability-based classification from NCI - National Cancer Institute, checking organization type, location, and any population or project requirements.
- 2Gather the required documents and information, including your organization details, project plan, and budget figures.
- 3Draft your application narrative and budget addressing the funder's priorities and review criteria. FindGrants can draft each section for you to review and edit.
- 4Review every section against the requirements checklist, then export a submission-ready application pack and submit it to NCI - National Cancer Institute before the deadline.
Don't want to draft it yourself?
We'll draft the complete application against NCI - National Cancer Institute's requirements, run a quality review, and email you a submission-ready PDF plus an editable Word doc within 5 business days. Most orders deliver in 24-48 hours. Flat $399, any grant size.
AI Requirement Analysis
Detailed requirements not yet analyzed
Have the NOFO? Paste it below for AI-powered requirement analysis.
Cancer cells with hybrid epithelial and mesenchymal phenotypes for deformability-based classification: Frequently Asked Questions
Who is eligible for the Cancer cells with hybrid epithelial and mesenchymal phenotypes for deformability-based classification?
Cancer cells with hybrid epithelial and mesenchymal phenotypes for deformability-based classification is offered by NCI - National Cancer Institute and is generally open to university, nonprofit, healthcare org. It is open to organizations nationwide unless the funder specifies otherwise. Review the specific eligibility terms before applying, since funders set their own requirements around organization type, location, and the population or project being served.
How much funding does the Cancer cells with hybrid epithelial and mesenchymal phenotypes for deformability-based classification provide?
Cancer cells with hybrid epithelial and mesenchymal phenotypes for deformability-based classification provides up to $162K per award from NCI - National Cancer Institute. Actual award sizes depend on the scope of your project, available program funds, and the number of applicants, so build a budget that reflects realistic, allowable costs rather than the maximum figure.
When is the Cancer cells with hybrid epithelial and mesenchymal phenotypes for deformability-based classification deadline?
Applications for Cancer cells with hybrid epithelial and mesenchymal phenotypes for deformability-based classification are due 2028-05-31 (open). Because deadlines can change, verify the date with the funder, NCI - National Cancer Institute, and give yourself enough time to prepare a complete, competitive application before the close date.
How do you apply for the Cancer cells with hybrid epithelial and mesenchymal phenotypes for deformability-based classification?
To apply for Cancer cells with hybrid epithelial and mesenchymal phenotypes for deformability-based classification, confirm your eligibility, gather the required documents, and prepare a narrative and budget that address the funder's priorities. FindGrants guides you step by step and can draft each section, then exports a submission-ready application pack for this grant from NCI - National Cancer Institute.