Boosting the immune fight against cancer by changing gut bacteria
Modulating Human Microbiome Function to Enhance Immune Responses Against Cancer
Looks at whether changing gut bacteria can help the immune system make cancer immunotherapy work better for people with cancer.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Stanford University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Stanford, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11249224 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From a patient's perspective, this project explores how the functions of gut bacteria affect the body's response to immune checkpoint cancer drugs. Researchers will use animal cancer models and laboratory analyses to identify bacterial activities (not just which species) that improve tumor control. They will compare different microbes, measure immune signals and tumor outcomes, and search for shared molecular functions that explain why some patients respond better. The ultimate aim is to point to microbiome-based approaches that could be tested in people to boost immunotherapy benefits.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Patients with cancers treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors, or those considering immunotherapy, would be the most relevant group for future trials informed by this work.
Not a fit: Patients whose cancers are not treated with immunotherapy or who cannot change their gut microbiome are less likely to benefit from these findings.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to treatments that modify the gut microbiome to help more patients respond to immune checkpoint therapies.
How similar studies have performed: Prior human and animal studies have linked gut bacteria to immunotherapy outcomes and some animal experiments showed benefit, but results have been mixed and mechanisms remain poorly defined.
Where this research is happening
Stanford, United States
- Stanford University — Stanford, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Sonnenburg, Justin L — Stanford University
- Study coordinator: Sonnenburg, Justin L
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.