MSK center for how the immune system fights cancer

The Center for Tumor-Immune Systems Biology at MSKCC

NIH-funded research Sloan-Kettering Inst Can Research · NIH-11176061

Researchers are combining lab work and computer modeling to help immune therapies work better for people with solid tumors.

Quick facts

Grant typeNIH-funded research
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionSloan-Kettering Inst Can Research NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (New York, United States)
Project IDNIH-11176061 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

This center brings together lab scientists and computational teams to understand why some cancers do not respond to immune checkpoint therapy. They use patient tumor samples, high-resolution imaging, spatial transcriptomics, single-cell analyses, and mouse models alongside machine learning to map tumor immune environments. The work focuses on tumors that resist or only partially respond to current immunotherapies to identify new targets and combination strategies. Findings from these integrated approaches are intended to point toward tests or treatments that could be tried in patients.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Ideal candidates are people with solid tumors who are receiving or being considered for immune checkpoint therapy and who can provide tumor samples or join follow-up clinical studies.

Not a fit: Patients without solid tumors (for example, many blood cancers), those not eligible for immunotherapy, or those unwilling to provide tumor tissue are unlikely to benefit directly from this center's work.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to tests or new therapy combinations that help more people get lasting responses to cancer immunotherapies.

How similar studies have performed: Immune checkpoint therapies have produced durable remissions for some patients and recent single-cell and spatial studies have been promising, but integrating these methods into broadly effective new treatments remains an emerging area.

Where this research is happening

New York, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.