Home Department: Undeclared
Mentor: James Brooks (Urology)

"Identification of Blood-Based Protein Biomarkers for Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma Using Patient-Derived Xenograft Models"

Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is the most common form of kidney cancer worldwide. Unfortunately, ccRCC is difficult to diagnose and monitor using imaging alone, especially for tumors smaller than 3 cm or during pseudoprogression in immunotherapy. Nicholas's project will investigate three tumor-derived blood proteins—GPI, MIF, and CUTA—as potential biomarkers for ccRCC detection. In patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models and patient blood samples, he will quantify the protein levels by ELISA to determine if the secreted proteins correlate with tumor size. Identifying precise blood biomarkers could improve early diagnosis, distinguish malignant from benign tumor growth, and enable specific treatment response.