# A High Throughput Human Tumor Modeling Technology for Cancer Drug Discovery

> **NIH NIH R33** · UNIVERSITY OF AKRON · 2021 · $166,399

## Abstract

Project Summary
Fisetin is a naturally-occurring phytochemical abundantly found in vegetables and fruits as the coloring agent.
Preclinical studies have shown that fisetin offers anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant benefits and protective
effects against chronic diseases. Due to its significant benefits, consumption of fisetin as a dietary supplement
is currently being studied in a clinical trial. Guided by our recent studies that showed fisetin significantly
downregulates oncogenic signaling in breast cancer cells, we hypothesized that fisetin has chemopreventive
effects against processes that are essential to breast cancer metastasis. Thus, using fisetin as a supplement
may have preventive benefits against metastatic progression and significantly improve outcomes for patients.
Because breast cancer metastasis occurs often very early and even before primary tumors are detected,
preventing pro-metastatic processes is essential to improve outcomes for patients. We will test our hypothesis
using our three-dimensional organotypic breast tumor model and a humanized mouse model of breast cancer,
to study chemopreventive effects of fisetin on proliferation, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, and local
invasion of cancer cells. Through phenotypic and mechanistic studies, we aim to demonstrate that fisetin
supplementation will have benefits against breast tumor growth and frequencies of local and distant
metastasis. In addition, our systematic studies in this project will help broaden investigations of dietary
supplements as chemopreventive agents to block progression of breast cancer and other malignancies.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10330116
- **Project number:** 3R33CA225549-03S2
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF AKRON
- **Principal Investigator:** Gary D Luker
- **Activity code:** R33 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $166,399
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2019-06-01 → 2024-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10330116

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10330116, A High Throughput Human Tumor Modeling Technology for Cancer Drug Discovery (3R33CA225549-03S2). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10330116. Licensed CC0.

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