Creating a 'super adjuvant' nanoparticle system for cancer vaccines
Designing a targeted 'super adjuvant' nanoparticle platform for vaccination
This project aims to develop a new type of vaccine that uses tiny particles to boost the body's immune response against cancer, especially for difficult-to-treat cancers like triple-negative breast cancer.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Massachusetts Amherst NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Hadley, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11106025 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
We are working on a special nanoparticle system designed to deliver multiple immune-boosting ingredients, called adjuvants, directly to a tumor. This 'super adjuvant' platform helps activate the immune cells that fight cancer, making the body's own immune system more effective. Instead of needing to know specific tumor markers beforehand, this approach uses the tumor itself to provide the necessary signals for a personalized immune response. Our goal is to overcome the challenges of aggressive tumors that often suppress the immune system.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: This research is foundational and aims to benefit patients with complex cancers, such as triple-negative breast cancer, who might not respond well to current single-adjuvant vaccines.
Not a fit: Patients with cancers that are highly responsive to existing treatments or those without a suitable immune response may not directly benefit from this specific vaccine platform.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could lead to more effective and personalized cancer vaccines, particularly for cancers that are currently hard to treat with existing therapies.
How similar studies have performed: While single-adjuvant vaccines have shown some success, this approach of combining multiple adjuvants in a targeted nanoparticle for in situ vaccination is a novel strategy to enhance immune responses.
Where this research is happening
Hadley, United States
- University of Massachusetts Amherst — Hadley, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Atukorale, Prabhani — University of Massachusetts Amherst
- Study coordinator: Atukorale, Prabhani
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.