How signals in tissues control CD8 killer T cells
Metabolite- and cytokine-mediated signals interact to control human CD8 T cell responses in tissues
Researchers are comparing the chemical and protein messages in human tissues that tell CD8 'killer' T cells when to act or when to stay calm.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Seattle, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11261238 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
The team will examine healthy and acutely infected human tissues to catalog cytokines and small-molecule metabolites present at steady state and during infection. They will profile how these signals influence CD8 T cell behavior and gene control using tissue samples and molecular techniques such as ATAC-seq and cellular assays. The project will also study how other immune cells, like antigen-presenting cells and regulatory T cells, contribute inhibitory or activating signals. Together this work aims to map the tissue signals that balance effective defense with preventing excessive tissue damage.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants would be people who can donate surgical or biopsy tissue samples or volunteers with acute infections willing to provide tissue or blood samples.
Not a fit: Patients seeking immediate clinical treatment or those unable to provide tissue samples are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this basic research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new ways to limit harmful tissue damage during infections and improve immune-based therapies.
How similar studies have performed: Mouse studies have shown that cytokines and metabolites regulate T cells, but comparable human tissue work is limited and this project applies modern molecular profiling to expand those findings.
Where this research is happening
Seattle, United States
- Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center — Seattle, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Prlic, Martin — Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center
- Study coordinator: Prlic, Martin
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.