Next-generation immune treatments for childhood cancer
Next Generation Immunotherapies for Pediatric Cancers
Researchers are creating safer, more powerful immune-based treatments to help children with cancers that do not respond to standard therapy.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Stanford University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Stanford, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11189691 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This program uses what scientists know about the immune system and how tumors evade it to design new immunotherapies specifically for young children. The team will modify and test engineered T cells (including CAR T approaches) and use CRISPR-based screens to find better targets and mechanisms to improve safety and potency. Work will combine laboratory studies, testing in preclinical models, and analysis of human tumor or blood samples to guide therapy design. If promising, these approaches could move toward clinical testing at Stanford and partner hospitals.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates would be children with cancers that are relapsed, refractory, or unlikely to be cured by current standard treatments.
Not a fit: Patients with cancers that are already well controlled by standard therapies or adults are unlikely to benefit directly from this pediatric-focused work in the short term.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, these treatments could increase cure rates for children with cancer while reducing long-term toxic side effects.
How similar studies have performed: CAR T-cell therapies have cured many children with certain blood cancers, but applying next-generation and CRISPR-guided approaches to a wider range of pediatric tumors is still largely experimental.
Where this research is happening
Stanford, United States
- Stanford University — Stanford, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Mackall, Crystal — Stanford University
- Study coordinator: Mackall, Crystal
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 below.