# 10 Lung Cancer

> **NIH NIH P30** · UNIVERSITY OF TX MD ANDERSON CAN CTR · 2022 · $18,707

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
The Lung Cancer Program (LCP) includes 70 members (34 primary, 35 associate, 1 adjunct) from 19
departments. The program is led by Dr. John Heymach, an expert in biomarker-driven clinical trials and
therapeutic targeting who oversees the program; Dr. Jack Roth, a surgeon-scientist and co-PI of the University
of Texas Lung SPORE; and Dr. Lauren Byers, who leads the program's clinical research efforts and mentoring
of trainees, fellows, and junior faculty. The major scientific goal of the LCP is to develop more effective and
personalized approaches for the treatment of lung cancer. To achieve this goal, the program has 3 specific aims
that focus on 3 themes: 1) lung cancer signaling and therapeutic targets; 2) targeting the immune system and
microenvironment; and 3) the multimodal treatment of localized and advanced lung cancer. The annual direct
peer-reviewed funding totals $5.7M, including an NCI Lung Cancer SPORE, a Stand Up 2 Cancer Dream Team
Award, and 3 CPRIT Multi-Investigator Research Awards. Of the total funding, $3.4M (60%) is from NCI grants.
Since the last competitive renewal, total annual peer-reviewed direct-cost funding has increased by 93%. Since
the last submission, the program has published 999 papers: 550 (55%) intra-programmatic collaborations, 355
(36%) inter-programmatic collaborations, and 607 (61%) external collaborations. Forty-four percent of the
publications appeared in journals with an IF >5, and 15% appeared in journals with an IF >10, including Science,
N Engl J Med, Proc Natl Acad Sci USA, Cancer Discov, and Lancet Oncol. During the last grant period, program
members had leadership roles in standard-of-care–changing studies, including the AURA3 study (establishing
osimertinib for EGFR T790M–mutant NSCLC) and a study demonstrating the benefit of local consolidative
therapy for patients with oligometastatic NSCLC. Our previous findings identifying novel targets in small cell lung
cancer (SCLC) have been validated in subsequent clinical studies. Members also identified 3 subsets of KRAS-
mutant NSCLC based on co-occurring genomic alterations that exhibit distinct biology, patterns of immune-
system engagement, and therapeutic vulnerabilities. Finally, they identified a role for epithelial-to-mesenchymal
transition in regulating tumor immunosuppression via an miR200/ZEB1/PD-L1 axis, playing a central role in
promoting NSCLC metastasis. In upcoming years, members will build on these findings to identify new
approaches to target subsets of lung cancer, with a focus on SCLC and KRAS-mutant NSCLC; investigate
strategies for enhancing antitumor immunity and mechanisms of immunotherapy resistance; and develop
multidisciplinary paradigms integrating immunotherapy and targeted agents as an approach to improve the
survival of lung cancer patients.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10467006
- **Project number:** 5P30CA016672-46
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF TX MD ANDERSON CAN CTR
- **Principal Investigator:** John V. Heymach
- **Activity code:** P30 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $18,707
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 1996-08-28 → 2024-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10467006

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10467006, 10 Lung Cancer (5P30CA016672-46). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10467006. Licensed CC0.

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