Better analysis of T-cell receptor sequencing tests
Statistical methods for TCR-sequencing experiments
This project builds improved statistical tools to make T-cell receptor sequencing results clearer and more useful for people with infections, cancer, or autoimmune conditions.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Wisconsin-Madison NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Madison, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11307131 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From my perspective as a patient, the team is creating new computer-based statistical methods to get more accurate information from T-cell receptor (TCR) sequencing data. They aim to prevent rare but important T cells from being lost during data preprocessing and to pinpoint the TCR types most likely to drive disease-related immune responses. The work uses large sequencing datasets and modeling to refine how raw TCR reads are filtered, counted, and ranked by likely biological importance. If successful, the methods will help researchers and clinicians extract more meaningful results from TCR tests.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People who have had or are willing to give blood or tissue for T-cell receptor sequencing—for example those with infections, cancer, or autoimmune diseases—would be the most relevant participants or data sources.
Not a fit: Patients who do not have T-cell–related conditions or who will not undergo TCR sequencing are unlikely to see direct benefit from this work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, these methods could give doctors and researchers more reliable T-cell receptor information to better monitor infections, cancer immune responses, and autoimmune activity.
How similar studies have performed: Some earlier tools exist for TCR-seq analysis, but important gaps remain, so this project focuses on new statistical methods rather than extending a widely adopted clinical tool.
Where this research is happening
Madison, United States
- University of Wisconsin-Madison — Madison, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kendziorski, Christina — University of Wisconsin-Madison
- Study coordinator: Kendziorski, Christina
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 below.