Improving immune cell entry into solid tumors by targeting AAK1
Official title: Aak1 to increase infiltration of adoptively transferred cells into solid tumors
Funded at Mayo Clinic Rochester · NIH-11264845 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project tests whether blocking a protein called AAK1 can help adoptive immune cell therapies like CAR-T get into solid tumors better for people with cancer.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R37 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Mayo Clinic Rochester NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Rochester, United States) |
| Project start | February 16, 2023 |
| Project end | January 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $457,635 |
| NIH project number | 5R37CA276005-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11264845 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with solid tumors who are considering or eligible for adoptive cell therapies (for example CAR-T) would be the group most likely to benefit from future clinical development.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with cancers not treated by adoptive cell transfer or those who are not candidates for such therapies may not directly benefit from this research.
What this research studies
Researchers will modify AAK1 in immune cells and use lab and preclinical tumor models to see if those cells move into solid tumors more effectively. They will study how AAK1 affects the chemokine receptor CXCR3 and whether AAK1's kinase activity controls receptor internalization that guides cell movement. The team will compare tumor infiltration and therapeutic effects of modified versus unmodified adoptively transferred T cells. Findings will inform whether targeting AAK1 could be developed to boost the effectiveness of adoptive cell therapies.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could make adoptive cell therapies like CAR-T more effective against solid tumors by helping immune cells reach and attack tumors.
How similar studies have gone: This is a relatively new, preclinical approach—while other efforts have aimed to improve T cell trafficking, targeting AAK1 is novel with limited prior clinical data.
Where this research is happening
-
Mayo Clinic Rochester
Rochester, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Rogers, Laura Marie — Mayo Clinic Rochester
- Study coordinator: Rogers, Laura Marie
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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.