Dahia Lab

Research focus

NIH R01 · 2025

Addressing biological and therapeutic gaps in rare neuroendocrine cancer with a novel organoid-based model

This proposal responds to the provocative question PQ9: What methods can be developed to effectively study small or rare populations relevant to cancer research? We will address this question by generating organoid models of pheochromocytomas and paragangliomas (PPGL) to fill gaps in the mechanisms underlying tumor behavior and in therapeutic opportunities. PPGLs are rare catecholamine-secreting, neural crest-derived tumors originating from adrenal or extra adrenal paraganglia, respectively. Malignant PPGLs can only be recognized after detection of metastases, implying a late diagnosis. Approximately 30-40% of paragangliomas, and 10-15% of pheochromocytomas can develop metastases. In…

From the public funding record at NIH RePORTER. Describes the funded project, not the reviews below.