Immunotherapy for high-risk pediatric brain cancer using systems immunology
Official title: Enabling immunotherapy for high-risk Group 3 medulloblastoma via systems immunology
Funded at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital · NIH-11380776 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A program to understand why a dangerous form of childhood brain cancer resists immunotherapy and to develop new immune-based treatments for kids with Group 3 medulloblastoma.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | St. Jude Children's Research Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Memphis, United States) |
| Project start | September 7, 2023 |
| Project end | August 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $819,000 |
| NIH project number | 5U01CA281868-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11380776 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are children diagnosed with high-risk Group 3 medulloblastoma or similar MYC-driven brain tumors, whose tumors can be analyzed for immune interactions.
✕Less likely to help
Some patients may not benefit if their tumor biology does not respond to the identified approaches or if there are contraindications to immunotherapies.
What this research studies
This project studies how the immune system interacts with Group 3 medulloblastoma in children and uses advanced immune profiling to uncover targets for therapy. Researchers will examine tumor and immune cells at the single-cell level, map where cells sit in the tumor, and test gene edits in mouse models to see how the tumor evades immune attack. The goal is to identify approaches that can be translated into effective immunotherapies for kids with this aggressive cancer. Findings could point to new treatment strategies that boost the child’s own immune response against the tumor.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could lead to new immunotherapies that improve survival and quality of life for children with high-risk Group 3 medulloblastoma.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies have shown that immune profiling and CRISPR-based screening can uncover actionable targets in cancer, with early signals suggesting potential in CNS tumors.
Where this research is happening
-
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
Memphis, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Chi, Hongbo — St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
- Study coordinator: Chi, Hongbo
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Nanoparticle immune treatment for SHH‑subtype medulloblastoma
This project tests a tiny‑particle version of an immune drug designed to help children with SHH‑subtype medulloblastoma live longer with fewer lifelong side effects.
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Immune-based treatments for aggressive Group 3 medulloblastoma
Working to unlock the immune system to create new treatments for children with high-risk Group 3 medulloblastoma.
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New treatment for a type of brain cancer in children
This study is testing a new treatment for children with SHH medulloblastoma, a type of brain cancer, using a special drug that helps the immune system fight the cancer while aiming to cause fewer side effects than current therapies.
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Understanding how to improve immunotherapy for aggressive brain tumors in children
This study is looking at a tough type of brain tumor in kids called high-risk Group 3 medulloblastoma, and it's trying to find out how these tumors hide from the immune system so that new treatments can be created to help the immune system fight them better.
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Using exosomes to improve immunotherapy for brain tumors in children
This study is testing a new treatment for children with medulloblastoma, a type of brain cancer, by using tiny particles from immune cells to help the body’s immune system fight the tumor more effectively while aiming to reduce side effects from standard treatments.
-
Boosting immune response to fight cancer
This study is exploring a new way to help your immune system better fight cancer by tweaking certain cells in your body, and it aims to improve treatment for people with advanced cancer.
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.