How CD8 T cells become exhausted in long infections and cancer
Official title: Regulation of T cell exhaustion via 3D chromatin architecture
Funded at Hackensack University Medical Center · NIH-11266234 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at how CD8 (killer) T cells change their three-dimensional genome structure during long-term infections or cancer to help scientists find ways to make them work better for patients.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Hackensack University Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Hackensack, United States) |
| Project start | March 15, 2015 |
| Project end | April 30, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $624,311 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AI112579-11 |
| Project ID | NIH-11266234 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal participants would be adults with chronic viral infections or cancer who can provide blood or tissue samples and relevant clinical information.
✕Less likely to help
People seeking immediate treatment changes should not expect direct personal benefit, since this project focuses on laboratory research into immune cell mechanisms.
What this research studies
Scientists are studying CD8+ T cells — the immune cells that fight viruses and tumors — to understand why they become exhausted after prolonged exposure to antigen. They map how the T cell genome folds in three dimensions (using methods like Hi-C) and examine proteins such as CTCF that help organize DNA to find interaction hubs linked to exhaustion. The team compares early and late exhausted cell states and may use both laboratory models and human patient samples to connect genome topology with cell function. The aim is to identify molecular switches that could be targeted to boost immune memory or reinvigorate exhausted T cells.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new targets for therapies that revive exhausted T cells and improve vaccines or cancer immunotherapy.
How similar studies have gone: Other studies have mapped gene activity and epigenetic marks in exhausted T cells, but applying 3D genome mapping to this problem is a relatively new approach.
Where this research is happening
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Hackensack University Medical Center
Hackensack, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Xue, Hai-Hui — Hackensack University Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Xue, Hai-Hui
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.