Improving immune responses using enhanced T cell detection methods
Official title: Therapeutic potential of affinity enhanced pMHCII-4E reagents
Funded at University of Minnesota · NIH-10989928 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is working on new ways to find and control important immune cells called CD4+ T cells, which can help improve vaccine responses or treat autoimmune diseases, using special tools in the lab and in animal models.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Minnesota NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Minneapolis, United States) |
| Project start | November 17, 2023 |
| Project end | October 31, 2025 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $187,938 |
| NIH project number | 5R21AI176336-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-10989928 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research include individuals with autoimmune conditions or those seeking improved vaccine responses.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who do not have autoimmune diseases or are not involved in vaccine development may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research focuses on developing advanced tools to detect and manipulate CD4+ T cells, which are crucial for immune responses. By enhancing the binding of peptide:MHCII tetramers, the study aims to identify T cells that are often missed due to low affinity interactions. The approach involves using engineered reagents to either activate or deplete specific T cells, depending on the clinical context, such as enhancing vaccine responses or treating autoimmune diseases. The research will be conducted using both laboratory techniques and animal models to evaluate the effectiveness of these new reagents.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to more effective vaccines and therapies for autoimmune diseases by improving the detection and regulation of T cells.
How similar studies have gone: Other research has shown promise in enhancing T cell detection and manipulation, indicating that this approach could lead to significant advancements in immunotherapy.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Minnesota
Minneapolis, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Dileepan, Thamotharampillai — University of Minnesota
- Study coordinator: Dileepan, Thamotharampillai
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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.