How ovarian cancer cell mitochondrial stress affects the immune response
Cancer cell-intrinsic mitochondrial stress responses influence protective immunity
This project looks at whether stress inside ovarian cancer cells' mitochondria helps the immune system fight high-grade serous ovarian cancer.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R37 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Newark, UNITED STATES) |
| Project ID | NIH-11239025 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers will study how damage or stress in cancer cell mitochondria changes signals that attract or repel immune cells inside ovarian tumors. They will combine lab experiments, animal models, and analysis of patient tumor and blood samples — including a common BLTP3A genetic variant — to trace how those mitochondrial responses alter T cell activity. The goal is to find markers or pathways that make tumors more likely to respond to immunotherapy and to test ways to restore mitochondrial balance to improve immune attack. If you have ovarian cancer, your tumor or blood samples might be used to help answer these questions.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with high-grade serous ovarian cancer, especially those willing to donate tumor tissue or blood samples or who carry the BLTP3A genetic variant, would be the best fit.
Not a fit: Those without ovarian cancer or who cannot provide biological samples are unlikely to benefit directly from this research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could identify new ways to make immunotherapy work better and improve outcomes for people with high-grade serous ovarian cancer.
How similar studies have performed: While other work links T cell presence to better outcomes in ovarian cancer, using mitochondrial stress in tumor cells to boost anti-tumor immunity is a newer approach with limited prior clinical testing.
Where this research is happening
Newark, UNITED STATES
- Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences — Newark, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Payne, Kyle Kristopher — Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences
- Study coordinator: Payne, Kyle Kristopher
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.