NIH-funded research R01 grant

Immunotherapy for Glioblastoma by Targeting a neuroimmune signal

Official title: Immunotherapy for Glioblastoma by Targeting an Immunoregulatory Neuropeptide

Funded at Ohio State University · NIH-11368683 · Data updated 2026-11-12

A new approach aims to help people with glioblastoma by blocking a nerve-derived signal that keeps tumor-fighting immune cells from working well.

More Immunotherapy research and trials

Quick facts

Grant typeR01 grant
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionOhio State University
NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Columbus, UNITED STATES)
Project startJune 23, 2026
Project endMay 31, 2031
Funding year2026
Award (this year)$567,754
NIH project number1R01CA304655-01A1
Project IDNIH-11368683 on NIH RePORTER

Who could benefit from this research

Could help

Patients with glioblastoma or those at risk of GBM who may benefit from novel immunotherapy approaches.

Less likely to help

Patients whose tumors do not rely on CGRP-related immune suppression or who cannot tolerate proposed interventions may see limited benefit.

What this research studies

Glioblastoma is a deadly brain cancer with few effective treatments. This project looks at how pain-sensing nerves in the brain interact with immune cells inside tumors and how a neuropeptide called CGRP helps tumors evade immunity. By blocking the CGRP pathway or its receptor in mouse models, the researchers show more active immune T cells can reach and attack the tumor, especially when combined with existing immunotherapies. The work focuses on translating these findings toward therapies that could make immunotherapy work better for GBM patients.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to new ways to make GBM tumors more responsive to immunotherapy, potentially extending patient survival.

How similar studies have gone: Previous studies have shown that targeting tumor-immune interactions can improve immunotherapy responses in brain tumors, with ongoing exploration of CGRP-related pathways.

Where this research is happening

  • Ohio State University
    Columbus, United States
    Active

Researchers

  • Principal investigator: Acharya, Nandini — Ohio State University
  • Study coordinator: Acharya, Nandini

Related research

Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.

  • Immunotherapy for glioblastoma: advancing treatment and understanding

    A patient-friendly summary of a grant exploring new immune-based treatments for glioblastoma to improve options for people affected by this brain cancer.

    NIH research University of California, San Francisco · San Francisco, United States · NIH-11608606

  • Understanding why some glioblastoma patients respond long-term to an ATL-DC vaccine

    A study in glioblastoma patients exploring why a personalized vaccine made from a patient’s own tumor blood cells helps some people live longer.

    NIH research University of California Los Angeles · Los Angeles, United States · NIH-11453574

  • Tumor-fighting NK cells that target glioblastoma

    A science team is testing engineered natural killer (NK) cells to better home in on and kill glioblastoma tumors in the brain.

    NIH research Purdue University · West Lafayette, United States · NIH-11344882

  • Changing the glioblastoma tumor environment to boost immune therapy

    This project tests whether blocking Wnt signaling together with PD‑1 immunotherapy can help people with glioblastoma by reducing immune‑suppressing cells and increasing tumor‑fighting immune cells.

    NIH research Massachusetts General Hospital · Boston, United States · NIH-11294306

  • Neuroimaging-guided immunotherapy for glioblastoma

    A patient-facing overview of a project using advanced brain imaging to guide immunotherapy treatments for glioblastoma, aiming to improve how well these therapies work.

    NIH research University of Oklahoma · Norman, United States · NIH-11269427

  • Developing nanoparticles to enhance immune response against brain cancer

    This study is exploring a new way to help fight glioblastoma, a tough type of brain cancer, by using tiny particles to deliver a special RNA that can boost the immune system's ability to attack the tumor, and it's being tested in mice to see how well it works.

    NIH research Vanderbilt University · Nashville, UNITED STATES · NIH-11196699

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.
Last reviewed 2026-11-14 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.