Enhancing cancer immunotherapies by targeting specific immune cells
Official title: Targeting lymphoid tissue residency to boost tumor immunotherapies
Funded at South Texas Veterans Health Care System · NIH-10950299 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how special immune cells can be used more effectively to make cancer treatments, like certain vaccines and therapies, work better for patients.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | South Texas Veterans Health Care System NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (San Antonio, United States) |
| Project start | October 1, 2022 |
| Project end | September 30, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| NIH project number | 5I01BX005955-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-10950299 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are cancer patients who are undergoing or considering immunotherapy treatments.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with non-cancerous conditions or those not receiving immunotherapy may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates how certain immune cells, specifically stem-like tumor-specific CD8+ T cells, can be better utilized to improve cancer immunotherapies such as PD-1/PD-L1 blockade and tumor vaccines. The study focuses on understanding the mechanisms that allow these cells to reside in lymphoid tissues and how they can be activated to enhance anti-tumor responses. By exploring the role of tissue-resident memory T cells and their interactions with tumor environments, the research aims to identify new strategies to boost the effectiveness of existing cancer treatments.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to more effective cancer immunotherapies, improving survival rates and quality of life for cancer patients.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown promising results in enhancing cancer immunotherapies by targeting specific immune cell populations, indicating potential for success in this approach.
Where this research is happening
-
South Texas Veterans Health Care System
San Antonio, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Zhang, Nu — South Texas Veterans Health Care System
- Study coordinator: Zhang, Nu
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.