B cells, cancer, and microbes: new ideas to understand relapse in B cell cancers
Official title: Novel mechanisms of B cell tumorigenesis and relapse
Funded at Rutgers, the State Univ of N.j. · NIH-11325848 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A new NIH grant is exploring how usual gut bacteria and their signals might influence relapse and treatment resistance in B cell cancers, with potential to guide better therapies.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Rutgers, the State Univ of N.j. NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Piscataway, United States) |
| Project start | June 1, 2024 |
| Project end | May 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $390,930 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CA293055-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11325848 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with B cell malignancies (including lymphomas and myeloma) may be eligible if their disease involves B cells and related immune pathways.
✕Less likely to help
Some patients whose cancer does not rely on the bacteria-driven mechanisms studied may experience little direct benefit.
What this research studies
This project looks at how B cell cancers grow and hide from treatment by exploring how bacteria in our bodies might drive disease and relapse. Researchers will study B cells, their receptors, and interactions with the immune environment to identify novel, patient-relevant mechanisms. The goal is to uncover new targets or pathways that could lead to more durable responses for people affected by B cell malignancies.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could lead to new treatment strategies that reduce relapse and improve long-term outcomes for patients with B cell cancers.
How similar studies have gone: Prior work in other cancers suggests commensal bacteria can influence cancer-related pathways, but this project extends the concept specifically to B cell malignancies.
Where this research is happening
-
Rutgers, the State Univ of N.j.
Piscataway, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Xie, Ping — Rutgers, the State Univ of N.j.
- Study coordinator: Xie, Ping
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Social stress and smoking: why disadvantaged young adults struggle to quit
This grant looks at how daily social stress affects if and when disadvantaged young adults who smoke can quit and stay quit.
-
Learning from remission and relapse in lupus (SLE)
Researchers are studying people with systemic lupus erythematosus who are in long-term remission without steroids or immunosuppressants to understand their immune cells, brain function, and what might predict relapse.
-
Learning from Remission and Relapse in SLE
A program to study people with systemic lupus erythematosus who are in long-term remission to understand immune and brain signals that might predict relapse.
-
Alternative NF-kB activation after chemotherapy in ovarian cancer
This grant studies how ovarian cancer might come back after chemotherapy by looking at specific signaling pathways in cancer cells and the tumor environment.
-
Predictors of autoimmunity onset and relapse in skin
A study to understand what biological signals in skin predict when autoimmune diseases start, flare, or worsen in people at risk.
-
Determinants of TB Control, Relapse, and Reinfection
A large, multi-year study aims to understand why some people who are treated for TB still have persistent infection or relapse, with the goal of improving prevention and treatment.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.