Improving T cell therapy for cancer treatment
Official title: Reprogramming T cell function with multiplexed genome engineering to develop next-generation immunotherapy
Funded at Yale University · NIH-11052635 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at ways to make T cell therapy better for cancer patients by improving how T cells are designed to find and attack cancer cells, which could help keep the cancer from coming back and lead to better results for patients.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Career grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Yale University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New Haven, United States) |
| Project start | March 8, 2024 |
| Project end | February 28, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $142,502 |
| NIH project number | 5K99CA282989-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11052635 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are patients with hematologic malignancies who are seeking advanced immunotherapy options.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with solid tumors or those who do not have hematologic malignancies may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research focuses on enhancing the effectiveness of T cell therapy, specifically by engineering T cells with chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) to better target cancer cells. The approach involves using advanced techniques to modify the dynamics of these CARs, which are crucial for their function in attacking tumors. By investigating how to optimize these CAR designs, the research aims to reduce the chances of cancer relapse and improve patient outcomes. Patients may benefit from a more effective immunotherapy that can lead to longer-lasting responses against their cancer.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to more effective T cell therapies that significantly improve cancer treatment outcomes.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown promising results with CAR T cell therapies, indicating that optimizing CAR dynamics could lead to significant advancements in treatment efficacy.
Where this research is happening
-
Yale University
New Haven, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Zhou, Xiaoyu — Yale University
- Study coordinator: Zhou, Xiaoyu
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Boosting immune response to fight cancer
This study is exploring a new way to help your immune system better fight cancer by tweaking certain cells in your body, and it aims to improve treatment for people with advanced cancer.
-
A center focused on immunotherapy for pediatric cancers.
This study is exploring new ways to use the body's immune system to fight childhood cancers, aiming to create better treatments for kids whose cancers haven't responded well to standard therapies.
-
Algorithms to find HLA-E neoantigens for cancer immunotherapy
Aims to develop computer methods to discover tumor-specific targets presented by HLA-E to guide new T cell therapies for cancer.
-
Immunotherapy for glioblastoma: advancing treatment and understanding
A patient-friendly summary of a grant exploring new immune-based treatments for glioblastoma to improve options for people affected by this brain cancer.
-
How CRISPR-based gene activation could shape immunotherapy responses in clear cell cancers
A research project at Stanford is using CRISPR-based gene activation to understand why some clear cell ovarian and kidney cancers respond to immunotherapy while others do not.
-
Hybrid biomaterial system to boost immunotherapy for rheumatoid arthritis
A new, patient-facing immunotherapy approach uses specialized particles to retrain the immune system to calm RA in adults.
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.