Immune engineering for hard-to-treat brain and pancreatic cancers
Integrated Immune Engineering for Poor Prognosis Cancers
Creating computer models and lab tests to help immune-based treatments work better for people with aggressive brain and related cancers.
Quick facts
| Grant type | P01 program project |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Minnesota NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Minneapolis, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11162509 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Scientists are building a multiscale computer simulator that models how immune cells and cancer cells move, grow, and interact using measurements from live cell microscopy. Biomedical engineers, immunologists, and genetic engineers will combine computational predictions with lab experiments that change genes or use drugs to test those predictions. The project also modifies tumor environments and immune cells using modern genome and microenvironment engineering so the simulator learns from real experimental results. The team aims to use iterative cycles of modeling and testing to speed up the development of immune therapies for cancers like glioblastoma and pancreatic cancer.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with aggressive brain tumors such as glioblastoma (and patients enrolled in related pancreatic cancer research programs) are the groups most directly connected to this work.
Not a fit: Because this is mainly preclinical modeling and lab research, individual patients are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this grant right now, and people without aggressive brain or pancreatic cancers would not be affected.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could guide development of immune therapies that reach tumor cells better and improve outcomes for people with aggressive brain cancers.
How similar studies have performed: Prior tumor modeling and immunotherapy research has shown promise in guiding experiments, but this combined multiscale simulator linked tightly to engineering interventions is a relatively new and ambitious approach.
Where this research is happening
Minneapolis, United States
- University of Minnesota — Minneapolis, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Odde, David J. — University of Minnesota
- Study coordinator: Odde, David J.
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.