Engineered exosome immunotherapy for triple-negative breast cancer
Reprogramming Exosomes for Novel Immunotherapy of Triple Negative Breast Cancer
Using engineered exosomes to help the immune system attack triple-negative breast cancer.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Southern California NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Los Angeles, UNITED STATES) |
| Project ID | NIH-11141638 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This project aims to create engineered exosomes—tiny natural particles from cells—modified to prompt the immune system to target triple-negative breast cancer cells. The team will design and test these exosomes in the lab and use breast cancer models to find those that best trigger anti-tumor immunity and target tumors. Promising exosome therapies will be studied to understand how they work at the cellular and molecular level and to check safety. If results are strong, the researchers plan to move the best candidates toward clinical testing in people with TNBC.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with triple-negative breast cancer, particularly those whose disease is resistant to current chemotherapy, would be the ideal candidates for this line of therapy.
Not a fit: Patients with hormone receptor–positive or HER2-positive breast cancers, or those needing an already approved therapy immediately, may not benefit directly from this research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could produce a new immune-based treatment that more effectively targets triple-negative breast tumors with improved safety.
How similar studies have performed: Exosome-based therapeutics are an emerging area with promising preclinical results but limited clinical proof-of-concept so far.
Where this research is happening
Los Angeles, UNITED STATES
- University of Southern California — Los Angeles, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Zhang, Yong — University of Southern California
- Study coordinator: Zhang, Yong
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.