Next generation T cell therapies for childhood cancers
Official title: Next Generation T cell therapies for childhood cancers (NexTGen)
Funded at New York University School of Medicine · NIH-11539617 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Aimed at helping children with solid cancers by developing smarter T-cell therapies that attack tumors with fewer long-term side effects.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | New York University School of Medicine NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project start | August 14, 2023 |
| Project end | May 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $143,570 |
| NIH project number | 3OT2CA290738-01S3 |
| Project ID | NIH-11539617 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are children with pediatric solid tumors (e.g., sarcomas, brain tumors) or adults with related B-ALL/B cell conditions who could participate in future clinical development of engineered T-cell therapies.
✕Less likely to help
Patients whose tumors lack suitable targets or who experience contraindications to cellular therapies may not benefit.
What this research studies
This project focuses on engineering T cells to better recognize and fight pediatric solid tumors, addressing challenges like tumor targets and the hostile tumor environment. It combines studying primary pediatric tumors to find new targets with a linked clinical development plan to advance safer, more effective cell therapies for kids. The work is organized into six interconnected work packages, starting with pediatric sarcomas and brain tumors, and aims to move toward routine use of these therapies within about a decade. By understanding how the tumor microenvironment dampens T cell responses, the team hopes to design smarter cells that can endure and perform in children. The approach emphasizes translational progress, from laboratory findings to early clinical testing, with the ultimate goal of reducing treatment failure and toxicity in young patients.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, children with hard-to-treat solid cancers could gain more effective and safer treatment options that become part of standard care.
How similar studies have gone: Previous engineered T-cell approaches in hematologic cancers show promise, while translating to pediatric solid tumors remains experimental but encouraging.
Where this research is happening
-
New York University School of Medicine
New York, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Yarmarkovich, Mark — New York University School of Medicine
- Study coordinator: Yarmarkovich, Mark
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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.