Helping the immune system reach and attack breast tumors
Official title: Breaching the Tumor-Immune Mechanical Barrier for Optimal Antitumor Immunity
Funded at Mayo Clinic Arizona · NIH-11332206 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers are trying to break down the physical barriers that keep immune cells out of breast tumors so the immune system can better fight the cancer.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Mayo Clinic Arizona NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Scottsdale, United States) |
| Project start | January 17, 2024 |
| Project end | July 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $249,000 |
| NIH project number | 4R00CA286969-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11332206 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates would be people with breast cancer—especially triple-negative breast cancer—whose tumors show high TROP2 or related barrier features.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with cancers that do not rely on TROP2 or other mechanical barriers, or those seeking immediate treatment benefit from this early-stage research, are unlikely to directly benefit.
What this research studies
I would hear that the team is studying a protein called TROP2, which is often high in aggressive breast cancers and may act like a mechanical barrier that blocks immune cells. They combine computer analysis of patient tumor data with lab experiments and animal models to see how TROP2 and the surrounding tissue keep immune cells out. The researchers plan to test ways to disrupt those barriers and then measure whether immune cells can enter tumors more easily. Their work may also explore combining barrier-disrupting approaches with existing immune therapies to improve responses.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could make immunotherapies work better for some breast cancer patients by letting immune cells penetrate tumors more effectively.
How similar studies have gone: Drugs targeting TROP2 (like antibody–drug conjugates) have shown benefit in some breast cancers, but using TROP2-focused strategies to break mechanical immune barriers is a newer and less-tested approach.
Where this research is happening
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Mayo Clinic Arizona
Scottsdale, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Wu, Bogang — Mayo Clinic Arizona
- Study coordinator: Wu, Bogang
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.