Improving T cell therapy for better cancer treatment
Official title: Next-generation T cell therapy: SMARTER T cells for enhanced and durable anti-tumor immunity
Funded at Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill · NIH-11176359 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is working on improving a type of cancer treatment that uses your own immune cells, called T cells, to help them better fight tumors and survive in tough environments, so patients can have more effective options for battling cancer.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Career grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chapel Hill, United States) |
| Project start | June 1, 2023 |
| Project end | May 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $159,840 |
| NIH project number | 5K01EB034321-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11176359 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are patients with solid tumors who may benefit from enhanced T cell therapies.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with non-solid tumors or those who do not respond to T cell therapies may not receive benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research focuses on enhancing T cell therapy, specifically engineered CD8+ T cells, to improve their ability to infiltrate and survive within tumors. By addressing the challenges posed by the hostile tumor microenvironment, the study aims to develop T cells that can provide a more durable anti-tumor immune response. The approach combines expertise in T cell development, genomic analysis, and protein engineering to create a novel solution for current limitations in adoptive cell therapy. Patients may benefit from more effective cancer treatments that harness their own immune cells.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to more effective and long-lasting cancer treatments for patients.
How similar studies have gone: Other research has shown promise in enhancing T cell therapies, but this approach aims to address specific challenges that have not been fully resolved.
Where this research is happening
-
Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Chung, Hokyung Kay — Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill
- Study coordinator: Chung, Hokyung Kay
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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.