How key molecular switches control T cell behavior
Official title: NFAT, bZIP proteins, and transcriptional programs in lymphocytes
Funded at La Jolla Institute for Immunology · NIH-11298192 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project is learning how specific gene-regulating proteins in T cells change their ability to fight cancer so treatments like CAR T and checkpoint drugs work better for patients.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | La Jolla Institute for Immunology NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (La Jolla, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2014 |
| Project end | March 31, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $929,885 |
| NIH project number | 2R01AI109842-37A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11298192 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with cancer—especially those treated with CAR T cell therapy or immune checkpoint inhibitors—or patients willing to donate blood or tumor tissue for research would be the best matches.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without cancer or those unwilling/unable to provide tissue or blood samples are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this project.
What this research studies
The team studies two gene-controlling proteins (NFAT and AP-1) to see how they drive T cells to be active or to become 'exhausted' using a mix of mouse experiments, lab work on cells, and analyses of human tumor and blood samples. They compare which genes turn on during strong anti-tumor responses versus when T cells tire out inside tumors. Genetic and molecular tools are used to map the programs that promote killing tumor cells or instead shut T cells down. The overall aim is to identify targets that could be changed to restore T cell function and improve long-term cancer control.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to ways to make CAR T cells and checkpoint therapies work better against solid tumors and reduce cancer relapse.
How similar studies have gone: Related laboratory and animal studies have shown that altering T cell transcription programs can restore function, and CAR T has succeeded in blood cancers, but translating these insights to solid tumors is still early and experimental.
Where this research is happening
-
La Jolla Institute for Immunology
La Jolla, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Hogan, Patrick — La Jolla Institute for Immunology
- Study coordinator: Hogan, Patrick
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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.