Exploring how gut bacteria proteins affect cancer treatment response
Official title: Mining the microbiome for immunomodulatory microproteins
Funded at Stanford University · NIH-11168078 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how certain proteins made by gut bacteria can help boost the immune system's response to cancer treatments, with the hope of turning patients who don’t respond well to these therapies into ones who do, ultimately aiming to improve outcomes for cancer patients.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Stanford University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Stanford, United States) |
| Project start | May 1, 2025 |
| Project end | April 30, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $640,522 |
| NIH project number | 1R01CA301727-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11168078 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are cancer patients undergoing immunotherapy who have not responded to initial treatment.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who are not undergoing immunotherapy or those with non-cancerous conditions may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates the role of specific proteins produced by gut bacteria in influencing the immune response to cancer immunotherapy. By conducting high-throughput screenings of microbial proteins, the study aims to uncover how these proteins can modulate the function of macrophages, which are key players in the body's immune response to tumors. The goal is to identify mechanisms that could help convert patients who do not initially respond to immunotherapy into responders, potentially improving treatment outcomes for cancer patients.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to new strategies for enhancing the effectiveness of cancer immunotherapy in patients who currently do not respond to treatment.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies have shown promising results in understanding the relationship between the gut microbiome and cancer treatment responses, suggesting that this approach could yield significant insights.
Where this research is happening
-
Stanford University
Stanford, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Bhatt, Ami Siddharth — Stanford University
- Study coordinator: Bhatt, Ami Siddharth
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Multimodal AI to predict CAR-T patient response and guide safer, smarter cell design
A Stanford team is building AI tools that use patient and CAR-T cell data to predict how well a CAR-T therapy will work and what design changes might boost effectiveness and safety for people with cancer.
-
Community-driven model to reduce overdose deaths through smarter resource use
A Stanford-led project uses a data-driven model to help counties pick the best ways to prevent opioid and stimulant overdoses and save lives.
-
Center for Dissemination and Implementation at Stanford: Research Core
A Stanford-based program is advancing how evidence-based addiction treatments are implemented across settings to help people with substance use disorders receive better care.
-
Center for Dissemination and Implementation At Stanford (C-DIAS)
A center-based program at Stanford aims to speed people who need addiction treatments to get evidence-based care.
-
Mitochondrial structure and neuron health in Alzheimer's and ALS
This grant studies how mitochondrial cristae structure in neurons is controlled and how its disruption may contribute to diseases like Alzheimer's and ALS.
-
Pediatric EMS seizures: simpler age-based midazolam dosing
A nationwide trial at EMS agencies tests whether using fixed, age-based dosing of midazolam for seizures in children improves treatment speed and safety.
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.