Gut microbes and immune therapy for common colorectal cancer
Microbiome-Mediated Tumor Immunomodulation in a Pathomimetic Colorectal Cancer Chip
This project tests whether a patient’s own gut microbes can change immune proteins in common colorectal tumors to help immune-based treatments work better.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Cleveland Clinic Lerner Com-Cwru NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Cleveland, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11291342 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would provide tumor tissue or allow use of tumor-adjacent tissue so researchers can grow patient-derived organoids on a 3D colorectal cancer “chip” that mimics the gut environment. Scientists will add specific gut bacteria to these organoids and measure how the bacteria change immune checkpoint proteins on the tumor. By comparing many patient samples, they aim to map which tumor-microbiome interactions make tumors more or less likely to respond to immune therapies. The team plans to develop a personalized workflow to guide ways of boosting immune therapy for patients whose tumors usually do not respond.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are people with mismatch repair–proficient, microsatellite-stable (MMR‑proficient/MSS) colorectal cancer who can provide tumor or surgical biopsy tissue for organoid and microbiome testing.
Not a fit: People whose tumors are already immunotherapy-responsive (e.g., mismatch repair–deficient/MSI‑high) or patients unable or unwilling to provide tumor tissue are unlikely to benefit directly from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to ways to make immune therapies effective for patients with the common, treatment-resistant form of colorectal cancer.
How similar studies have performed: Previous clinical and translational studies have linked the gut microbiome to immunotherapy responses in other cancers, but using patient-derived organoids on a pathomimetic chip to define mechanisms in MSS colorectal cancer is a novel, less-tested approach.
Where this research is happening
Cleveland, United States
- Cleveland Clinic Lerner Com-Cwru — Cleveland, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kim, Hyun Jung — Cleveland Clinic Lerner Com-Cwru
- Study coordinator: Kim, Hyun Jung
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.