Improving Immunotherapies for Acute Myeloid Leukemia

Multiplex Epitope Editing to Enable Novel Immunotherapies for Acute Myeloid Leukemia

NIH-funded research Boston Children's Hospital · NIH-11131004

This project aims to make new immune cell treatments safer and more effective for people with acute myeloid leukemia (AML).

Quick facts

Grant typeR01 grant
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionBoston Children's Hospital NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Boston, United States)
Project IDNIH-11131004 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

Immunotherapies for acute myeloid leukemia (AML) often face a challenge because the targets on cancer cells are also found on healthy blood stem cells, which can cause unwanted side effects. This project is developing a new way to protect healthy donor stem cells by subtly changing their surface markers, making them resistant to specific immune treatments. This allows the immune treatments, like CAR-T cells or antibodies, to focus on destroying leukemia cells without harming the healthy, modified stem cells. The goal is to create more effective and safer immunotherapies for AML, potentially preventing the cancer from returning.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Patients with acute myeloid leukemia who are candidates for bone marrow transplantation and could benefit from advanced immunotherapies might be ideal candidates for future applications of this research.

Not a fit: Patients whose AML does not share the specific targets being addressed by these immunotherapies, or those not eligible for stem cell transplantation, may not directly benefit from this particular approach.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could lead to new, safer, and more effective immunotherapy options for patients with acute myeloid leukemia.

How similar studies have performed: Preliminary work has already identified specific genetic changes and demonstrated the resistance of edited cells to CAR-T treatment and the eradication of patient-derived AML in laboratory models.

Where this research is happening

Boston, 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.