Springfield, MA, November 3, 2026 — Researchers at the University of Massachusetts Amherst have been awarded a $13.1 million grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to investigate engineered bacterial therapies for drug-resistant triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). The five-year initiative brings together a multidisciplinary team of scientists, including researchers affiliated with HistoSpring, to advance new treatment strategies for this aggressive form of breast cancer.

Neil Forbes, Ph.D., professor in the Riccio College of Engineering at UMass Amherst, is leading research to engineer non-toxic strains of Salmonella designed to selectively target tumors and deliver therapeutic agents directly to cancer cells, including those resistant to existing treatments.

The NIH-funded initiative includes five interconnected research projects, including three therapeutic approaches:
Immune Activation: Investigating how engineered Salmonella can deliver antigens to tumors to stimulate immune responses that recognize and attack cancer cells.

Targeted Viral Therapy: Exploring the use of engineered Salmonella to deliver oncolytic viruses into tumors, where the viruses can replicate within cancer cells and destroy them.

Radiopharmaceutical Delivery: Evaluating bacteria-based delivery systems at Weill Cornell Medicine designed to concentrate radioactive compounds within tumors, potentially reducing radiation exposure to surrounding healthy tissues.

Two additional projects will support the development of a genetic library of engineered Salmonella strains for different therapeutic strategies and nanoreporter technologies to monitor immune responses.

HistoSpring’s Role in Advancing TNBC Research
Sallie Schneider, Ph.D., Director of Histology and Tissue Procurement at HistoSpring, will serve as principal investigator for a subaward supporting the NIH-funded research. Schneider will oversee the collection of consented triple-negative breast tumor specimens for the development of patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models, along with histological analyses to characterize the tumor microenvironment and antibody optimization to support tissue analysis. The histological studies will distinguish immunologically “hot” tumors, which have greater immune cell infiltration, from “cold” tumors, which have limited immune activity.

“Access to well-characterized patient tumor specimens is essential to understanding the biological differences that can influence research outcomes,” said Schneider. “These analyses will establish the extent to which immunologically cold tumors can be modified to improve outcomes.”

Triple-negative breast cancer presents significant treatment challenges because it lacks estrogen receptors, progesterone receptors, and HER2 overexpression, limiting the use of therapies targeting these molecular features. The disease is also associated with an increased risk of recurrence and offers fewer targeted treatment options than other major breast cancer subtypes.

“Engineered bacteria offer a promising strategy for delivering therapeutic agents directly to tumors,” said Joseph Jerry, Ph.D., Science Director, Breast Research Registry and Biorepository. “This NIH-funded research will give us the support needed to investigate new approaches for overcoming treatment resistance, with the potential to advance more effective therapies for patients with this aggressive disease.”

About HistoSpring
HistoSpring is a specialized biomedical company providing histology services, digital pathology, biomarker analysis, and research resources to support translational discovery and oncology research. The company combines traditional histology expertise with advanced imaging, automated staining, and HALO® AI–driven tissue analysis to support biomarker development, spatial biology, and precision medicine research. HistoSpring also provides flexible wet lab resources and access to cell and tissue models to help accelerate scientific discovery and therapeutic development. For more information visit www.HistoSpring.com. For direct inquiries contact us at info@histospring.com / 413-794-0523.

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