# Tumor Microenvironment Research Program

> **NIH NIH P30** · UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON · 2021 · $102,002

## Abstract

UWCCC Tumor Microenvironment (TM) Program Summary 
 Co-Leaders: Patricia Keely and David Beebe 
PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT 
Tumors are complex systems composed of tumor cells, stromal cells, soluble factors, and the extracellular 
matrix (ECM); together, these components constitute the tumor microenvironment. While cancer research has 
focused historically on studying and treating the tumor cell, it is now clear that the other components of the 
tumor microenvironment are active participants in tumor progression. For example, growth factors secreted by 
tumor cells attract immune cells into the tumor microenvironment; these immune cells in turn provide cytokines 
and other factors that stimulate stromal cell deposition and remodeling of ECM, which feedback to influence 
tumor cell behavior. Although the tumor microenvironment is undoubtedly important in the progression of 
several types of cancer, therapeutic approaches targeted against the microenvironment remain rare, in part, 
because knowledge in this area is insufficient. Therefore, it is the mission of the Tumor Microenvironment 
(TM) Program to identify microenvironmental changes that occur during tumorigenesis and analyze how the 
interactions between the tumor cell and microenvironmental components affect tumor formation, growth, 
progression, and ultimately metastasis. To accomplish these goals, the TM program fosters collaborations 
between its 32 members from 17 departments - basic scientists, clinicians, and bioengineers who specialize in 
the development of systems that mimic the in vivo environment and computational modeling of systems-level 
behaviors. TM program research is organized into three thematic areas: 1) Extracellular Matrix, 2) Engineering 
Approaches, and 3) Immune Interactions. Program members were supported by $3.0 million direct costs in 
NCI-funding and $10.6 million direct costs in total peer-reviewed cancer-related support, and were highly 
productive with 494 publications during the course of the last grant. Of these publications, 13% were intra- 
programmatic collaborations and 24% were inter-programmatic collaborations. In the year 2016 alone, nearly 
50% of publications were collaborative with other institutions. Through these research efforts, members of the 
TM program are identifying new biomarkers and therapeutic approaches.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10147673
- **Project number:** 5P30CA014520-47
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON
- **Principal Investigator:** Pamela K Kreeger
- **Activity code:** P30 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $102,002
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 1997-04-25 → 2023-03-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10147673

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10147673, Tumor Microenvironment Research Program (5P30CA014520-47). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10147673. Licensed CC0.

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