How memory CD8 T cells are kept healthy
T Cell Homeostasis
This research looks at the signals that keep memory CD8 T cells alive and stable so vaccines and T cell cancer therapies work better for patients.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Minnesota NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Minneapolis, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11285213 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From my point of view as a patient, researchers will use controlled gene switches to turn off the pathways that let memory CD8 T cells sense survival signals after those cells have already formed. They will test how loss of responses to the cytokines IL-7 and IL-15 changes T cell numbers during normal life and when other infections occur. The team will compare circulating memory cells with tissue-resident memory cells and study how the transcription factor KLF2 helps keep their identities. Most of this work is done in the lab (model systems), with the goal of guiding better vaccines and T cell therapies down the line.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People who have had serious infections, are receiving vaccines, or are candidates for T cell–based cancer therapies would be the likely future beneficiaries and potential participants in follow-up clinical work.
Not a fit: Patients seeking immediate clinical treatments or those with conditions unrelated to T cell immunity are unlikely to get direct benefit from this laboratory-focused project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help design vaccines and immunotherapies that produce longer-lasting, more reliable T cell immunity.
How similar studies have performed: Prior studies support roles for IL-7 and IL-15 in memory CD8 maintenance but report mixed results, and using inducible gene knockouts to separate maintenance from formation is a newer, clarifying approach.
Where this research is happening
Minneapolis, United States
- University of Minnesota — Minneapolis, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Jameson, Stephen C — University of Minnesota
- Study coordinator: Jameson, Stephen C
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.