Breaking cytokine loops in LKB1-mutant lung cancer and the immune system
Official title: Breaking Cytokine Loops in Lung Adenocarcinoma
Funded at New York University School of Medicine · NIH-11381978 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A researcher at NYU School of Medicine is studying why a common lung cancer subtype with a specific mutation doesn’t respond well to current immunotherapy, with the aim of finding new ways to improve treatment.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Career grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | New York University School of Medicine NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2025 |
| Project end | July 31, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $315,246 |
| NIH project number | 5K08CA293273-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11381978 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Patients with LKB1-mutant lung adenocarcinoma or related lung cancer cases could benefit from future therapies arising from this work.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without LKB1 mutations or without access to future targeted therapies may not directly benefit.
What this research studies
This grant focuses on lung adenocarcinoma with LKB1 mutations and uses engineered mouse models to mimic human tumors. It examines how tumor cells and the surrounding immune environment communicate via autocrine signaling, especially looking at the LIF pathway and inflammatory signals. By unraveling how these signals affect tumor dedifferentiation and the activity of CD8 T cells, the study seeks new targets for therapy. The work could lay the groundwork for developing treatments tailored to LKB1-mutant cancers that resist checkpoint inhibitors.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could identify new therapeutic targets to make immune therapies work better for patients with LKB1-mutant lung cancer.
How similar studies have gone: Prior work shows that autocrine and inflammatory signaling can influence tumor-immune interactions, supporting the potential for successful translation.
Where this research is happening
-
New York University School of Medicine
New York, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Pillai, Ray — New York University School of Medicine
- Study coordinator: Pillai, Ray
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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.