Helping T cells fight solid tumors by fixing faulty RNA splicing and using bacterial-like antigens
Unleashing T-cell anti-tumor response through repair of altered RNA splicing and antigen mimicry recognition
This work tries to restore T cell attack on solid tumors by correcting abnormal RNA splicing and using bacterial-like signals to help immune cells recognize cancer.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Yale University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New Haven, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11239866 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From a patient point of view, researchers at Yale will study how mistakes in RNA splicing and bacterial-memory features in T cells affect the immune attack on solid tumors. They will analyze tumor and immune cell samples and develop ways to repair splicing defects and design antigens that mimic bacterial signals to wake up T cells. The team will create new vaccine and checkpoint immunotherapy approaches along with biomarkers to identify patients most likely to respond. The goal is treatments that overcome immune escape and make resistant solid tumors more treatable.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are people with solid tumors that have not responded well to current immunotherapies and who can provide tumor tissue or blood samples for research.
Not a fit: Patients with cancers unrelated to altered RNA splicing or those unable or unwilling to provide samples or travel to study sites may not benefit from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could produce new immunotherapies or cancer vaccines that help T cells better recognize and kill solid tumors.
How similar studies have performed: While checkpoint immunotherapies and some cancer vaccines have helped patients with certain cancers, using RNA splicing repair together with antigen mimicry is a novel approach with limited prior clinical proof.
Where this research is happening
New Haven, United States
- Yale University — New Haven, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Escobar Hoyos, Luisa — Yale University
- Study coordinator: Escobar Hoyos, Luisa
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.