# Evaluating the impact of genetic ancestry on the biology and drug response profile of pheochromocytoma and paraganglioma-derived organoid models

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS HLTH SCIENCE CENTER · 2024 · $265,946

## Abstract

This supplement application proposes to address gaps in our understanding of rare cancers in
underrepresented individuals. This proposal is related to the work conducted in the parent grant R01-
CA264248, which was designed to develop innovative patient-derived organoid (PDOs) models of rare
cancers, neuroendocrine tumors known as pheochromocytomas and paragangliomas (PPGLs). In
these tumors progress has lagged due to a dearth of experimental model systems. By generating novel
PDOs we aim to address two gaps in PPGLs: 1) early recognition of aggressive disease, and 2)
identification of effective treatments. Recent studies have suggested that ethnicity may contribute both
to the mutation profile and overall survival of PPGL patients. Certain socioeconomic indicators that can
impact on disease features and outcomes can co-associate in underrepresented populations. In this
supplement, we will leverage our expertise in generating and evaluating PDOs to establish models from
underrepresented racial/ethnic minority patients diagnosed with PPGLs, as well as patients with
aggressive forms of PPGLs. We propose to define the patients’ genetic admixture, and evaluate clinical,
standardized social determinants of health and how they associate with biomarkers of tumor behavior,
genetic selection, and drug response detected in PDOs. To achieve our goals, and recruit this patient
population, we will expand our team to include two collaborators with expertise in cancer disparities and
clinical care of patients from diverse ethnic backgrounds. Our studies may provide insights into PPGL
biology, the prevalence of clinically actionable alterations and potential drug selection for treatment in
PDOs from underrepresented patients which can be incorporated onto the design of future studies that
address disparities in rare tumors.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10922102
- **Project number:** 3R01CA264248-04S2
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS HLTH SCIENCE CENTER
- **Principal Investigator:** PATRICIA Leal DAHIA
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $265,946
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2021-09-08 → 2026-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10922102

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10922102, Evaluating the impact of genetic ancestry on the biology and drug response profile of pheochromocytoma and paraganglioma-derived organoid models (3R01CA264248-04S2). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-27 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10922102. Licensed CC0.

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