How the protein ID3 controls donor T cells that cause GVHD and fight leukemia
Official title: ID3 regulation of tissue-infiltrating T cells mediating graft-versus-host disease and leukemia rejection
Funded at Hackensack University Medical Center · NIH-11317224 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers are looking at whether changing the activity of a protein called ID3 in donor T cells can lower graft-versus-host disease while keeping those cells able to attack leukemia after a stem cell transplant.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Hackensack University Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Hackensack, United States) |
| Project start | May 1, 2024 |
| Project end | April 30, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $733,555 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CA290808-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11317224 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People who have had or are planning an allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant for leukemia, lymphoma, or myeloma, or donors associated with those transplants, could be candidates for sample donation or future clinical testing.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without an allogeneic stem cell transplant or those with non-blood cancers are unlikely to benefit directly from this research.
What this research studies
After an allogeneic stem cell transplant, donor T cells can both attack leukemia and damage healthy tissues, causing graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). This project studies how the transcription regulator ID3 helps donor T cells survive and act inside tissues such as the gut, liver, and skin. The team will examine ID3's role using laboratory models and human-derived samples to understand which T cell programs drive persistent tissue damage versus anti-leukemia activity. The goal is to find ways to alter ID3-related pathways so future treatments can reduce GVHD without losing the transplant's cancer-fighting benefit.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to treatments that reduce dangerous GVHD while preserving the transplant's ability to prevent leukemia relapse.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies manipulating T cell signaling have reduced GVHD in animal models but balancing tissue protection with preserved anti-leukemia effects remains difficult, and direct targeting of ID3 is a relatively new approach.
Where this research is happening
-
Hackensack University Medical Center
Hackensack, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Zhang, Yi — Hackensack University Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Zhang, Yi
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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.