Disrupting the Prostate Cancer Environment in African American Men to Help Immunotherapy Work Better
Official title: Disrupting the Prostate Tumor Microenvironment in African American Men to Promote Response to Immuno-Modulatory Therapy
Funded at H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Ctr & Res Inst · NIH-11413693 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A cancer research project aims to understand why prostate cancer behaves differently in African American men and how immune therapies might work better for them.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R37 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Ctr & Res Inst NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Tampa, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2022 |
| Project end | August 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $668,909 |
| NIH project number | 5R37CA264518-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11413693 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adult men with prostate cancer, particularly those of African ancestry, who may participate via tissue samples, explanted tumors, or ex vivo studies.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without access to the study’s involved tissue or who do not meet specific ancestry or sample criteria may not benefit.
What this research studies
This grant explores why men with African ancestry often have more advanced prostate cancer and examines the tumor’s immune environment. Researchers will use computational methods to map immune cells and signaling in the tumor, and employ a bioengineered model to study tumor-immune interactions. They will also test how time and immune signals influence response to immune-modulating therapies using patient-derived tissue kept alive outside the body. The goal is to identify factors that could make immune therapies more effective for African American men with prostate cancer.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, findings could lead to more effective immune-based treatments tailored to African American men with prostate cancer.
How similar studies have gone: Prior work shows that the tumor immune environment can influence therapy response, but this project tests novel bioengineered models and ex vivo explants in African American patients.
Where this research is happening
-
H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Ctr & Res Inst
Tampa, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Yamoah, Kosj — H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Ctr & Res Inst
- Study coordinator: Yamoah, Kosj
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.