Improving T-cell therapies for advanced cancer
Reprogramming T cell function with multiplexed genome engineering to develop next-generation immunotherapy
This research is developing new ways to make T-cell therapies, like CAR T-cells, more effective and safer for people with advanced cancer, especially solid tumors.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Wistar Institute NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Philadelphia, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11301038 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
CAR T-cell therapy has shown great promise for blood cancers, but it faces challenges like side effects, cancer coming back, and not working as well for solid tumors. This project is creating two new strategies to overcome these issues. One strategy involves designing T-cells that can automatically adjust their activity, becoming stronger when needed and less active to reduce side effects. The other strategy focuses on removing proteins in the tumor environment that stop T-cells from fighting cancer. By combining these approaches, we hope to create more powerful and safer T-cell treatments for various cancers.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: This research is focused on developing treatments for patients with advanced cancers, including solid tumors, who may not respond well to current immunotherapies.
Not a fit: Patients whose cancer is not advanced or who are not candidates for T-cell based immunotherapies may not directly benefit from this specific research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to safer and more effective T-cell immunotherapies for patients with advanced cancers, particularly solid tumors.
How similar studies have performed: While CAR T-cell therapy has shown success in blood cancers, these specific strategies for self-regulation and overcoming the tumor microenvironment are novel and still being developed.
Where this research is happening
Philadelphia, United States
- Wistar Institute — Philadelphia, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Zhou, Xiaoyu — Wistar Institute
- Study coordinator: Zhou, Xiaoyu
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 below.