Gut bacterial microproteins that could help immunotherapy work better
Mining the microbiome for immunomodulatory microproteins
['FUNDING_R01'] · STANFORD UNIVERSITY · NIH-11321675
This project tests whether tiny proteins made by gut bacteria can change immune cells so more people with cancer respond to immunotherapy.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_R01'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | STANFORD UNIVERSITY (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (STANFORD, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11321675 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
You would learn that researchers are searching the gut microbiome for tiny bacterial proteins that influence macrophages, an immune cell important for tumor responses. They will run large pooled screens using peptide-display polarization assays and Perturb-seq, plus CRISPR-based approaches, to find microbial microproteins that alter macrophage behavior. Promising candidates will be studied in cell systems and animal tumor models to see if they change how tumors respond to immunotherapy. The long-term aim is to find microbial molecules that could become biomarkers or lead to new ways to boost cancer immunotherapy.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with cancer who are considering or receiving immunotherapy and who are willing to provide stool or tissue samples for research would be the most relevant participants.
Not a fit: People without cancer or those not eligible for immunotherapy are unlikely to directly benefit from this research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new bacterial proteins or targets that increase the number of cancer patients who benefit from immunotherapy.
How similar studies have performed: Previous human and mouse studies have linked the gut microbiome to immunotherapy outcomes, but focusing on microbial microproteins and their effects on macrophages is a novel and mostly untested approach.
Where this research is happening
STANFORD, UNITED STATES
- STANFORD UNIVERSITY — STANFORD, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: BHATT, AMI SIDDHARTH — STANFORD UNIVERSITY
- Study coordinator: BHATT, AMI SIDDHARTH
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.