How cancer’s sugary cell coating blocks immune attacks
Physical Resistance to Immune Cell Attack by the Cellular Glycocalyx
This project looks for ways to bypass or remove the sugar-rich 'coat' on cancer cells so natural and engineered NK immune cells can better attack tumors in people with cancer.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Cornell University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Ithaca, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11367329 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You are reading about work to understand the thick, sugar-rich layer (the glycocalyx) many cancer cells build that physically shields them from immune attack. The team will change the properties of mucin molecules to see how the glycocalyx structure affects Natural Killer (NK) cell and CAR‑NK cell killing. They will use lab-grown tumor cells, engineered immune cells, and biophysical measurements to map the exact ways the glycocalyx blocks immune contact and function. Insights will be used to design NK cell engineering strategies aimed at overcoming this protective barrier.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Patients with cancers that overexpress mucin-rich glycocalyx structures and who are potential candidates for NK or CAR‑NK cell therapies would be the most directly relevant group.
Not a fit: People whose tumors do not rely on a mucinous glycocalyx or who are not candidates for NK‑based treatments are unlikely to see direct benefit from this specific work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the findings could make NK and CAR‑NK immunotherapies more effective against tumors that hide behind a mucin-rich glycocalyx.
How similar studies have performed: NK and CAR‑NK therapies have shown promise, and prior work suggests the glycocalyx can shield tumors, but directly targeting the physical glycocalyx barrier with engineered NK strategies is a relatively novel and still largely untested approach.
Where this research is happening
Ithaca, United States
- Cornell University — Ithaca, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Paszek, Matthew J — Cornell University
- Study coordinator: Paszek, Matthew J
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.