Engineered T cell receptors to better target B‑cell cancers
Novel synthetic receptors with improved antigen specificity and specificity for cancer therapy
This project builds new engineered receptors for T cells to help them find and kill B‑cell leukemias and similar cancers that have low or mixed levels of target proteins.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Seattle, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11237150 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers are creating hybrid receptors that combine parts of natural T cell receptors and chimeric antigen receptors to improve how T cells detect cancer proteins. They are testing these receptors in primary human T cells and using programmable protein switches that act like AND/OR/NOT logic to make killing depend on combinations of markers. The goal is to enable engineered T cells to remove tumor cells that have low or uneven amounts of target antigens while sparing normal cells that also carry those proteins. This work is being carried out at Fred Hutch in Seattle and aims to support therapies for B‑cell leukemias such as CLL and other cancers targeted by CD22 and related antigens.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Patients with relapsed or refractory B‑cell malignancies (for example chronic lymphocytic leukemia) or cancers that express CD22 or similar B‑cell antigens, and who are eligible for adoptive cell transfer, would be the most likely candidates.
Not a fit: Patients whose cancers do not express the targeted B‑cell antigens, those who are not eligible for cell‑transfer therapies, or people with unrelated non‑B‑cell cancers are unlikely to benefit from this work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could make T cell therapies more effective against cancers that evade current CAR‑T treatments and reduce harm to healthy tissues.
How similar studies have performed: CAR‑T therapies have cured some B‑cell leukemias in patients, but the hybrid receptor and logic‑switch approaches in this project are novel and remain experimental.
Where this research is happening
Seattle, United States
- Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center — Seattle, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Simon, Sylvain — Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center
- Study coordinator: Simon, Sylvain
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.