Improving CAR T Cell Therapy for B Cell Malignancies

The Role of CD3z ITAM (Immunoreceptor Tyrosine-Based Activation Motif) diversity in CAR T cell Force and Function

NIH-funded research Utah State Higher Education System--University of Utah · NIH-11131019

This work looks at how to make CAR T cells work better and last longer for people with B cell cancers, aiming to reduce side effects.

Quick facts

Grant typeR01 grant
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionUtah State Higher Education System--University of Utah NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Salt Lake City, United States)
Project IDNIH-11131019 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

CAR T cell therapy uses your own immune cells, called T cells, engineered to recognize and fight cancer. While powerful, current CAR T cell treatments can have serious side effects and sometimes don't last long enough. This project explores how to fine-tune the internal signals within CAR T cells to make them more effective and persistent against cancer. By understanding how different parts of the CAR T cell's signaling machinery work, we hope to design safer and more potent therapies. Our goal is to overcome current limitations and improve outcomes for patients with B cell malignancies.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: This foundational work is relevant for patients with B cell malignancies who may be candidates for CAR T cell therapy in the future.

Not a fit: Patients with conditions other than B cell malignancies or those not suitable for CAR T cell therapy may not directly benefit from this specific research.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to CAR T cell therapies that are more effective, last longer, and have fewer severe side effects for patients with B cell cancers.

How similar studies have performed: While CAR T cell therapy has shown success, this particular approach to optimizing internal signaling pathways is a novel area of exploration.

Where this research is happening

Salt Lake City, United States

Researchers

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 below.
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 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.