Improving kidney cancer treatment by enhancing immune response
Official title: Sensitization to RIPK1-dependent death as a strategy to enhance response of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) to immunotherapy
Funded at Mayo Clinic Rochester · NIH-10721156 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how to help your immune system better fight kidney cancer by understanding a protein that helps cancer cells survive, with the hope of improving current treatments for patients like you.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Mayo Clinic Rochester NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Rochester, United States) |
| Project start | September 19, 2023 |
| Project end | August 31, 2025 |
| Funding year | 2023 |
| Award (this year) | $415,000 |
| NIH project number | 1R21CA270380-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-10721156 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are patients diagnosed with renal cell carcinoma who have not responded adequately to current immunotherapy options.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with early-stage kidney cancer or those who have not yet undergone immunotherapy may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates how to make kidney cancer cells more susceptible to immune attacks by understanding the mechanisms that allow them to survive. It focuses on the role of a specific protein, RIPK1, in regulating cell death and survival in response to immune signals. By targeting these survival mechanisms, the goal is to enhance the effectiveness of existing immunotherapies, such as immune checkpoint inhibitors, which have shown limited success in kidney cancer. Patients may be involved in trials that assess new treatment combinations aimed at improving their response to immunotherapy.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to more effective treatments for kidney cancer, potentially improving survival rates and quality of life for patients.
How similar studies have gone: Other research has shown promise in enhancing immune responses in cancer treatment, suggesting that this approach could lead to significant advancements in therapy.
Where this research is happening
-
Mayo Clinic Rochester
Rochester, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ting, Adrian T — Mayo Clinic Rochester
- Study coordinator: Ting, Adrian T
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Engineering immunogenic cell death to boost melanoma and kidney cancer therapy
This grant supports research aimed at making melanoma and kidney cancer cells die in a way that triggers a stronger immune response in patients.
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.