# Defining a novel subset of metastasis-associated monocytes

> **NIH NIH F31** · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO · 2024 · $45,909

## Abstract

Project Summary/Abstract
 Metastasis is a feature of advanced disease whereby tumor cells spread to distant parts of the body,
and is responsible for the vast majority of cancer-related deaths. Unfortunately, targeted therapies often aren’t
effective in controlling metastatic disease, as tumors cells have been observed to employ a variety of
mechanisms to metastasize. Therefore, many have begun to look to the surrounding microenvironment as a
potential therapeutic avenue. Previous studies investigating the tumor immune microenvironment have
identified monocytes as important mediators of metastatic progression. However, recent single cell
transcriptomic studies have demonstrated that monocytes are a heterogeneous population of cells, and the
role of specific subsets of monocytes in metastasis remains poorly understood. Preliminary work from the
Goga lab has identified a novel subset of metastasis-associated monocytes with a discrete metabolic and
phenotypic transcriptional profile. This proposal seeks to investigate the impact of metabolism on metastasis-
associated monocytes and interrogate their role in the lung metastatic niche. We believe that a better
understanding of the vulnerabilities of different subsets of immune cells will lead to new therapeutic targets for
metastatic cancer.
 The proposed research training will take place at UCSF, a top-tier research institution and medical
center at the cutting edge of cancer immunology research. The Biomedical Sciences program at UCSF
provides a rigorous education in translational biology and science communication which prepares students to
become future leaders in their fields. Under the mentorship of Dr. Andrei Goga, a practicing oncologist and
expert in breast cancer metastasis, I am well poised to carry out the proposed research which will leave me
with a broad experimental and computational skillset. Additionally, the training plan we have developed for the
remainder of my thesis work places a strong emphasis on developing my teaching and mentoring skills, as well
as my communication skills through various opportunities to present my work to the scientific community. This
training, coupled with the experience I will gain in carrying out the proposed research, will leave me equipped
for a future career in academia studying cancer metastasis as an independent investigator.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10912533
- **Project number:** 5F31CA284749-02
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO
- **Principal Investigator:** Daphne A Superville
- **Activity code:** F31 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $45,909
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2023-08-03 → 2025-09-13

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10912533

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10912533, Defining a novel subset of metastasis-associated monocytes (5F31CA284749-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-27 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10912533. Licensed CC0.

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