# Targeting ANGPTL4 in obesity-driven breast cancer progression

> **NIH NIH K22** · UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA · 2021 · $179,714

## Abstract

Project Summary
I, Dr. Ryan Kolb, am an assistant research scientist at the University of Iowa. I plan to pursue a career
as an independent researcher with a tenure-track faculty position at an academic research institution, so that
I may continue my research that I have developed during my training at the University of Iowa. My
research focuses on how interactions between cells in the tumor microenvironment affect
tumorigenesis and disease progression. This K22 application focuses on one aspect of this research; how
obesity-associated inflammation drives breast cancer progression. This research seeks to addresses an unmet
problem in the cancer field. While, the link between obesity and breast cancer progression and a worse clinical
outcome are well established, there has been no specific therapies developed to treat obese patients and
obese patients are often excluded from clinical trials due to obesity-related complications. In Aim 1 of
this proposal we will define the role of ANGPTL4 in obesity-driven breast cancer progression and provide
a rationale for ANGPTL4 targeted therapies to treat obese breast cancer patients. Aim 2 will test the efficacy of
targeting ANGPTL4 in preclinical models of obesity-driven breast cancer progression and characterize novel
anti-human ANGPTL4 antibodies for their ability to inhibit ANGPTL4. Together these aims will promote
the development of ANGPTL4 antibodies as a therapy to improve the outcome for obese breast cancer
patients. The K22 award will be beneficial in my goal to transition into an independent cancer researcher.
This award will allow me to pursue further training in clinical cancer research. As a basic scientist looking to
transition into an independent career with a larger focus on translational cancer research, this training will be
highly beneficial. My plan to successfully transition to an independent position and establish an independent
research program involves applying for an R01 by the end of the first year of this award. The proposed
aims in this K22 application will provide me with a solid foundation upon which to build a R01
application. Combined with my background in cancer biology and cancer immunology, this K22 award will
greatly aid me in establishing a successful and impactful career as a translational cancer researcher in
the tumor microenvironment field.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10114986
- **Project number:** 5K22CA229595-02
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA
- **Principal Investigator:** Ryan H Kolb
- **Activity code:** K22 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $179,714
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2020-03-01 → 2023-02-28

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10114986

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10114986, Targeting ANGPTL4 in obesity-driven breast cancer progression (5K22CA229595-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10114986. Licensed CC0.

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