Fractionated photoimmunotherapy to boost immune response in ovarian cancer
Official title: Fractionated photoimmunotherapy to harness low-dose immunostimulation in ovarian cancer
Funded at Northeastern University · NIH-11380639 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A new treatment approach uses targeted light-activated therapy in advanced ovarian cancer to kill cancer cells while helping immune cells fight the disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Northeastern University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | July 1, 2023 |
| Project end | June 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $520,862 |
| NIH project number | 5U01CA280849-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11380639 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with advanced or recurrent epithelial ovarian cancer who may be eligible for taPIT-based therapy.
✕Less likely to help
Patients whose tumors do not express the target receptor or who cannot tolerate the combined treatment may not benefit.
What this research studies
This project explores a novel therapy that uses near-infrared light to activate a cancer-targeting treatment in tumors that may have few immune cells. Researchers will test whether breaking the treatment into smaller, fractionated doses can kill more cancer cells while preserving or stimulating immune cells like T cells and dendritic cells. They will combine this approach with ideas from computer models and imaging to guide therapy and potentially prime the immune system for other immunotherapies. The work builds on existing data and aims to create a new treatment paradigm for metastatic epithelial ovarian cancer.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could improve cancer cell killing while enhancing immune responses, potentially leading to better outcomes for patients with advanced ovarian cancer.
How similar studies have gone: Preliminary data support the concept, but the specific dose-fractionation strategy for taPIT in ovarian cancer is novel and exploratory.
Where this research is happening
-
Northeastern University
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Spring, Bryan Quilty — Northeastern University
- Study coordinator: Spring, Bryan Quilty
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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.