# Engineering of bacterial probiotics for the detection and treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma

> **NIH NIH F32** · COLUMBIA UNIV NEW YORK MORNINGSIDE · 2020 · $69,306

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
Liver cancer, the second leading cause of cancer-related death globally, is frequently diagnosed in the
advanced stages of the disease, where curative treatments are either unavailable or provide only
modest survival improvement. As recent studies have uncovered the natural and beneficial role of
bacteria throughout the human body, as well as their proclivity to grow inside solid tumors, bacteria
emerge as a natural delivery vehicle for novel therapeutics against the disease. Here we will use
synthetic biology to engineer bacteria that produce high local concentrations of therapeutics targeting
pathways commonly dysregulated in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and that are only capable of
growing within a tumor’s unique microenvironment, thereby minimizing systemic effects. Using in vitro
and in vivo humanized mouse models, we aim to develop an effective, safe, and novel treatment option
for HCC.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9891034
- **Project number:** 5F32CA225145-03
- **Recipient organization:** COLUMBIA UNIV NEW YORK MORNINGSIDE
- **Principal Investigator:** ZAKARY SINGER
- **Activity code:** F32 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $69,306
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2018-04-01 → 2021-03-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9891034

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9891034, Engineering of bacterial probiotics for the detection and treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (5F32CA225145-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9891034. Licensed CC0.

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