June 05, 2026

UH researchers find new approach to treatment-resistant cancer

Cleveland.com article authored by Julie Washington and advance local express, published on June 5, 2026

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Researchers at the Harrington Discovery Institute at University Hospitals have identified a new class of potential drug targets for cancers that stop responding to existing treatments.

The study focuses on proteins inside the Golgi apparatus — a structure within cells that sorts and moves material to the cell surface. The research team found that these proteins help carry growth factor receptors to the outer surface of cells, where the receptors are then switched on by signals in the surrounding environment.

“Once there, these receptors are activated by growth factors in the cellular environment, signaling cells to grow uncontrollably and form tumors,” said Dr. Seth J. Field, director of physician-scientist programs and chief scientific officer at the Harrington Discovery Institute.

The Discovery Institute works to turn promising discoveries into medicines that address unmet needs. Field led the research team for this study, which was recently published in the journal Science Signaling.

Growth factor receptors are already known to be factors in the growth of several common cancers, including lung and breast cancer. Drugs that block these receptors are widely used, but often patients stop responding to them.

The new study, which used human cancer cell models and was corroborated in human cancers, points to the Golgi-related proteins as a possible new avenue for treatment.

The new findings could help address one of the biggest challenges in cancer treatment, which is overcoming resistance to existing therapies, researchers said.

“This work builds on our previous studies identifying components of the cellular machinery, specifically involving the Golgi apparatus, that enable cells to transport material to their surface where it can remain or be released,” Field said.

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About the Scholar

Oncology

Seth Field, MD, PhD

University Hospitals - Cleveland
Harrington Investigators

More about Seth Field