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Diet, Lipid Metabolism, and Tumor Growth and Progression (DLT) Program

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The Diet, Lipid Metabolism, and Tumor Growth and Progression (DLT) Program is investigating mechanistic links between diet, lipid metabolism, and tumor growth/progression. This initiative also supports the development of new tools and models in an emerging area of research at the intersection of nutrition and molecular metabolism.

The Program aligns with the 2020 – 2030 Strategic Plan for NIH Nutrition Research, which “emphasizes cross-cutting, innovative opportunities to advance nutrition research across a wide range of areas":

  • Goal 1: Spur Discovery and Innovation through Foundational Research
  • Goal 4: Reduce the Burden of Disease in Clinical Settings

Investigators of the DLT Program are supporting progress towards these goals through fundamental studies of the role of diet and lipid metabolism in cancer and by identifying nutrition-related molecular interactions with tumor biology that could, ultimately, be leveraged to improve clinical cancer care. 

DLT News

A New grant for the DLT Program was awarded in Spring 2025.

Drs. Paul MacLean, Peter Kabos, and Carol Sartorius with the University of Colorado Denver DLT Project are investigating how plant-based and marine-based dietary fatty acids affect the development of therapy resistant breast cancer.

Contacts for DLT 

For additional information about the DLT Program, please contact Dr. Wanping Xu or Dr. Natalia Mercer.  

Funded Projects

DLT Research Projects (U01s)

InstitutionPrincipal Investigator(s)Project Title
Dana-Farber Cancer InstituteNika N. Danial, Mariella G. FilbinMechanism and functional consequences of dietary lipids in lineage specification and tumor growth in oncohistone gliomas
Salk Institute for Biological StudiesSusan M. KaechUnderstanding omega-3 and 6 fatty acid dependent regulation of inflammatory signals in pancreatic cancer
University of Colorado DenverPaul S. MacLean, Peter Kabos, Carol A. SartoriusNew FADS diet for endocrine resistant breast cancer
University of South FloridaTim Yeatman, Ganesh HaladeInterrogating the role of arachidonic acid metabolism in modulating the tumor immune microenvironment as a novel path to therapeutic intervention
Van Andel Research InstituteEvan C. LienDiet-mediated regulation of fatty acid saturation impacts cancer progression and therapy responses
Van Andel Research InstituteRussell JonesDietary regulation of anti-tumor immunity through caloric restriction

DLT Exploratory/Developmental Research Projects (UH2)

InstitutionPrincipal Investigator(s)Project Title
University of California, Los AngelesHeather Christofk, Guido Eibl, Katherine PlathImpact of dietary lipids on pancreas cancer initiation and progression
University of UtahAmandine Chaix, Greg Ducker, Keren HilgendorfDietary lipids as drivers and therapeutic targets in obesity-accelerated breast cancer
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