How T cells form contacts and send signals
CONTROL OF T CELL SYNAPSE STABILIZATION AND SIGNALING
Researchers are changing how T cell receptors and cell membranes behave to make immune cells more precise and powerful for future cell therapies.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R37 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California, San Francisco NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (San Francisco, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11373345 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
As a patient, I would hear that scientists are reworking the way T cells' receptors sit and move on the cell surface to change how they find and respond to targets. They will engineer the T cells themselves, create matching surrogate ligands and partner cells, and use membrane fusogens to alter cell-to-cell contact. The team will image receptor distributions in 3D over time and measure activation and functional responses after each change. The aim is to find ways to make engineered T cells more sensitive, specific, and effective for therapy.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with cancers or immune-related conditions who are current or future candidates for T cell–based therapies, or those willing to donate blood or tissue for research, would be most relevant.
Not a fit: Patients with conditions unrelated to the immune system or those unable to give blood or tissue samples are unlikely to get direct benefit from this work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could produce engineered T cell therapies that target disease more accurately and work better with fewer side effects.
How similar studies have performed: Cell-based immunotherapies like CAR‑T have helped some blood cancers, but altering membrane organization to tune T cell signaling is a newer and less-tested strategy.
Where this research is happening
San Francisco, United States
- University of California, San Francisco — San Francisco, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Krummel, Matthew F — University of California, San Francisco
- Study coordinator: Krummel, Matthew F
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.