Image-guided, flexible CAR T therapy for solid tumors
Official title: Image-guided adaptable CAR T cell therapy for solid tumors
Funded at Methodist Hospital Research Institute · NIH-11282814 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A new, image-guided CAR T approach uses a universal adaptor to target solid tumors and help predict where therapy goes, aiming to reduce relapse and off-target effects.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Methodist Hospital Research Institute NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Houston, United States) |
| Project start | June 9, 2026 |
| Project end | July 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $415,257 |
| NIH project number | 1R21CA299243-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11282814 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with B cell malignancies or solid tumors where image-guided adaptor CAR T therapy could be applicable.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without suitable tumor targets or those unable to undergo CAR T cell therapy may not benefit.
What this research studies
This project develops a universal CAR T system that uses a tumor-targeting adaptor molecule attached to a CAR T cell. It will image adaptor distribution with PET to guide treatment, administer autologous CAR T cells with optimized adaptors, and monitor tumor response and CAR T activity using PET imaging. The goal is to improve targeting of solid tumors and reduce toxicities by predicting where CAR T cells will go and how they behave in the body.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients could benefit from more accurate targeting of CAR T therapy for solid tumors with fewer side effects and better tumor control.
How similar studies have gone: Previous CAR T approaches work well for some blood cancers but struggle with solid tumors; this image-guided adaptor strategy is a novel approach with early supportive evidence.
Where this research is happening
-
Methodist Hospital Research Institute
Houston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Jin, Moonsoo M. — Methodist Hospital Research Institute
- Study coordinator: Jin, Moonsoo M.
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Remote-controlled PC-CAR T cells for hard-to-treat solid tumors
A new drug-free approach aims to let immune cells recognize and fight certain solid cancers by remotely adjusting their activity against tumor targets.
-
Using tumor-targeting viruses to boost CAR T cell treatment for solid tumors
This work aims to help CAR T cell therapy work better for people with solid tumors by combining CAR T cells with cancer-killing viruses that ramp up the immune response.
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Improving CAR T cell therapy for lung and other solid tumors
This project works to make CAR T cell therapy more effective for people with lung and other solid tumors by building realistic tumor models and testing ways to overcome the tumors' immune defenses.
-
Improving CAR T cell therapy for children with solid tumors
This study is testing a new way to make CAR T cell therapy work better for kids with solid tumors by using special T cells that target a protein called B7-H3, and it aims to see how safe and effective these modified cells are in helping children whose tumors haven't responded to other treatments.
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Using oncolytic viruses to enhance CAR T cell therapy for solid tumors
This study is looking at how using special viruses with CAR T cell therapy might help make the treatment work better for people with solid tumors by helping the CAR T cells find and attack the cancer more effectively.
-
Improving CAR T cell therapy for lung cancer
This study is looking at ways to make CAR T cell therapy work better for lung cancer by creating a model that simulates the tumor environment, helping researchers figure out why it struggles with solid tumors and how to improve treatment for patients.
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.