# Cancer Invasion and Metastasis

> **NIH NIH P30** · JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY · 2022 · $54,277

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
 The Cancer Invasion and Metastasis Program (CIM) is a new Program within the Sidney Kimmel
Comprehensive Cancer Center (SKCCC). CIM was launched to elucidate and target the mechanisms driving
metastasis, as metastasis is the major driver of patient outcomes. The Program consists of highly
accomplished basic scientists working collaboratively with engineers and translational physician-scientists. The
Co-Leaders are Andrew Ewald, Ph.D. (basic, invasion focused); Ashani Weeraratna, Ph.D. (basic, tumor
microenvironment focused); and Phuoc Tran, M.D., Ph.D (basic/clinical, recurrent disease focused). CIM is
comprised of 42 Members (31 Full Members and eleven Associate Members) from three schools and 16
departments at Johns Hopkins University. Faculty are affiliated with four T-32 training grants across the School
of Medicine, School of Public Health, and School of Engineering. The total direct cancer-relevant peer-
reviewed funding is $14.1 million, with $8.3 million from the National Cancer Institute. The total number of
publications by Program members is 768, of which 129 (16.8%) are Intra-Programmatic, 412 (53.8%) are Inter-
Programmatic and 487 (63.4%) have external collaborations. Of these publications, 20.6% are in journals with
impact factors >10 and 5.7% in journals with impact factors >25. The Aims of the Program are: Aim 1: To
elucidate the molecular and cellular mechanisms regulating individual and collective cancer cell motility and
invasion across organ sites using cutting-edge models and tools. Aim 2: To define the regulation of cancer
function by the cellular, molecular and mechanical features of the tumor microenvironment. Investigators target
and disrupt the crosstalk between the cancer cell and the metastasis-promoting microenvironment using
physiologically relevant models (e.g., organoids, 3D skin reconstruction, cell-derived matrices, humanized
animal models). Aim 3: To determine and disrupt the underlying cause of recurrent cancer at the cellular and
molecular level by targeting barriers to therapeutic success in cancer, including therapy resistance, tumor
dormancy and recurrent disease. Research success across these aims is critically enabled by SKCCC Shared
Resources (Oncology Tissue and Imaging Services, Experimental and Computational Genomics, Flow/Mass
Cytometry and Technology Development, and Mass Spectrometry Molecular Imaging and Multi-Omics).
Program members lead a P01 grant to understand microenvironmental regulation of therapy resistance and
metastasis in melanoma, and a U54 that integrates physical science and translational perspectives to
understand cancer invasion. Members also participate in three SPOREs (Prostate, GI, Head and Neck) and six
MPI U01 grants.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10409352
- **Project number:** 2P30CA006973-59
- **Recipient organization:** JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Andrew Josef Ewald
- **Activity code:** P30 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $54,277
- **Award type:** 2
- **Project period:** 1997-05-07 → 2027-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10409352

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10409352, Cancer Invasion and Metastasis (2P30CA006973-59). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10409352. Licensed CC0.

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