Creating a universal cell therapy using macrophages for pancreatic cancer treatment
Official title: Develop universal CAR macrophage cell therapy for pancreatic cancer
Funded at Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences · NIH-10936074 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is testing a new treatment that uses specially designed immune cells to help fight pancreatic cancer, aiming to make existing therapies work better for patients.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Newark, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | July 1, 2024 |
| Project end | June 30, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $403,687 |
| NIH project number | 1R21CA286398-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-10936074 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are patients diagnosed with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma who may benefit from innovative cancer therapies.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with non-solid tumors or those who do not have pancreatic cancer may not receive any benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research focuses on developing a new type of cell therapy that uses macrophages, which are immune cells that can help fight cancer. The approach involves engineering these macrophages with special receptors to target and destroy pancreatic cancer cells, particularly those that have undergone apoptosis (cell death). By using a universal 'off-the-shelf' therapy, the goal is to enhance the effectiveness of existing cancer treatments and improve patient outcomes. The research will utilize models of pancreatic cancer to test the effectiveness of this therapy.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could provide a new, effective treatment option for patients with pancreatic cancer.
How similar studies have gone: While the use of engineered macrophages in cancer therapy is a growing field, this specific approach targeting phosphatidylserine in pancreatic cancer is novel and has not been extensively tested.
Where this research is happening
-
Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences
Newark, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Hou, Pingping — Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences
- Study coordinator: Hou, Pingping
Related research
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Targeting how platelets and pancreatic cancer talk to each other
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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.