Mapping how aging changes the molecular switches in T cells
Official title: Proteome-wide base editor screens to assess phosphorylation site functionality in immunosenescence
Funded at La Jolla Institute for Immunology · NIH-11262912 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Using gene-editing tools to find which molecular switches in CD8 T cells stop working with age, with the goal of helping older adults keep stronger immune responses.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | La Jolla Institute for Immunology NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (La Jolla, United States) |
| Project start | May 1, 2024 |
| Project end | January 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $559,601 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CA279795-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11262912 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People most likely to be involved are older adults or volunteers willing to donate blood samples for T cell studies, especially those with signs of age-related immune decline.
✕Less likely to help
Young healthy individuals or patients seeking immediate clinical treatments are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this laboratory-focused research.
What this research studies
Researchers will use CRISPR base editors to make precise changes at thousands of phosphorylation sites in T cells and then measure how those changes affect T cell behavior such as activation and killing. They will combine mass spectrometry maps of phosphorylation with high-throughput cell-based screens to link specific molecular changes to declines seen in aging immune cells. Much of the work will be done in laboratory cell systems and likely in donated human T cells to model immunosenescence. The team aims to pinpoint which phosphorylation sites are most important for weakened T cell function in older people so future therapies can target them.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could reveal new molecular targets to restore T cell function in older adults, improving vaccine responses and cancer surveillance.
How similar studies have gone: CRISPR screens and base-editing approaches have previously identified important immune regulators, but large-scale functional mapping of phosphorylation sites in aging T cells is largely novel.
Where this research is happening
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La Jolla Institute for Immunology
La Jolla, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Myers, Samuel Anthony — La Jolla Institute for Immunology
- Study coordinator: Myers, Samuel Anthony
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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.