Blocking Pyk2 to improve immune therapy for aggressive brain cancer
Official title: Pyk2 inhibition mitigates immunosuppressive environment and enhances therapeutic response to immune checkpoint inhibitors in GBM
Funded at Universidad Central Del Caribe · NIH-11059876 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how blocking a protein called Pyk2 might help make glioblastoma, a tough brain cancer, more sensitive to treatments that use the immune system, so that patients can have better responses to their therapies.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Universidad Central Del Caribe NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Bayamon, United States) |
| Project start | April 1, 2024 |
| Project end | March 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $130,869 |
| NIH project number | 5R16GM153522-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11059876 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are patients diagnosed with recurrent glioblastoma who have not responded to current immune checkpoint therapies.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with non-brain cancers or those whose glioblastoma has not recurred may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates how inhibiting a protein called Pyk2 can change the environment around glioblastoma (GBM), a deadly brain cancer, to make it more responsive to immune therapies. The study will analyze human GBM samples and use mouse models to understand how Pyk2 contributes to the cancer's ability to evade the immune system. By targeting Pyk2, the researchers aim to enhance the effectiveness of existing treatments that utilize the body's immune response against tumors.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to improved treatment options for patients with glioblastoma by making their tumors more susceptible to immune therapies.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown promise in targeting similar pathways to enhance immune responses in various cancers, suggesting potential for success in this approach.
Where this research is happening
-
Universidad Central Del Caribe
Bayamon, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kucheryavykh, Lilia — Universidad Central Del Caribe
- Study coordinator: Kucheryavykh, Lilia
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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.