Linking cancer driver mutations to how regulatory T cells weaken anti-tumor immunity
Official title: Linking Cancer driver mutations to regulatory T cell immunosuppression
Funded at Albert Einstein College of Medicine · NIH-11357784 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers are studying how common breast cancer mutations may help tumors hide from the immune system and whether this knowledge can lead to new treatments for patients with aggressive breast cancer.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Albert Einstein College of Medicine NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Bronx, United States) |
| Project start | July 1, 2026 |
| Project end | June 30, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $687,291 |
| NIH project number | 1R01CA312954-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11357784 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Patients with aggressive breast cancer who harbor common driver mutations, particularly MLL3 alterations, may benefit from future therapies informed by this work.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with breast cancers that do not involve the studied driver mutations or immunosuppressive pathways may not benefit from the findings.
What this research studies
This project uses innovative mouse models created from mammary stem cells to study how specific breast cancer driver mutations, especially MLL3, affect immune suppression in tumors. The team will combine genetic editing with a PI3-kinase pathway activation to mimic human breast cancers and observe how regulatory T cells influence tumor growth and response to therapy. By creating a customizable platform of breast cancer models, the study aims to reveal mechanisms that blunt anti-tumor immunity and point toward new therapeutic strategies. The goal is to translate these insights into approaches that could improve immunotherapy outcomes for patients with aggressive breast cancers.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the research could identify new targets to enhance immunotherapy effectiveness for breast cancer patients.
How similar studies have gone: Preclinical models have shown that oncogenic mutations can influence immune responses, supporting the potential of this approach, though the exact mutations studied are novel in this context.
Where this research is happening
-
Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Bronx, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Lauvau, Gregoire Stephane — Albert Einstein College of Medicine
- Study coordinator: Lauvau, Gregoire Stephane
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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.