How CasL helps T cells move
Official title: Defining CasL as an Orchestrator of T cell Migration
Funded at Upstate Medical University · NIH-11326811 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at how a protein called CasL helps immune T cells sense mechanical signals and move, which could affect inflammation and cancer.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Upstate Medical University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Syracuse, United States) |
| Project start | June 4, 2024 |
| Project end | April 30, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $407,500 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AI185016-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11326811 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with inflammatory conditions or cancers who are willing to donate blood or tissue samples for lab studies or who want to be considered for future therapies targeting immune cell movement.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with conditions unrelated to immune or inflammatory processes, or those seeking immediate clinical treatments, are unlikely to benefit directly from this basic research.
What this research studies
This project will examine how CasL controls T cell movement by studying the integrin LFA-1 and the cell's cytoskeleton. Scientists will alter CasL function in immune cells and watch how cells form leading edges, make membrane blebs, and migrate using lab-based imaging and molecular tests. Most work is done in cells and experimental models to map the signaling steps that tell T cells when and where to move. The goal is to find molecular points that could be targeted to limit harmful inflammation or direct immune cells to tumors.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the results could lead to new ways to reduce harmful inflammation or improve immune attacks on tumors by changing how T cells move.
How similar studies have gone: Related lab studies on integrin signaling and mechanotransduction have produced promising results in cells and animal models but have not yet led to widely used patient treatments.
Where this research is happening
-
Upstate Medical University
Syracuse, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Roy, Nathan H. — Upstate Medical University
- Study coordinator: Roy, Nathan H.
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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.