Overcoming obesity-related resistance to immunotherapy in kidney cancer
Official title: Overcoming obesity-associated immunotherapy resistance in renal cancer
Funded at University of Kentucky · NIH-11528804 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A study aims to understand why obesity affects how well immunotherapy works for people with advanced kidney cancer and how to improve treatments for those patients.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Kentucky NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Lexington, United States) |
| Project start | April 3, 2023 |
| Project end | August 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $532,498 |
| NIH project number | 7R01CA269568-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11528804 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with advanced kidney cancer who are overweight or obese and starting or receiving immunotherapy.
✕Less likely to help
The study may not directly benefit patients who do not have obesity or who are not receiving immunotherapy.
What this research studies
If you have advanced kidney cancer and obesity, this study looks at how body weight might change immune therapy outcomes and what this means for treatment choices. Researchers will examine patient factors and immune responses to see why some people don’t respond to current immunotherapies. The project will translate findings into strategies that could make immunotherapy more effective for patients who are overweight or have obesity. The goal is to identify key host factors linked to obesity that influence treatment success.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could lead to better immunotherapy responses for patients with obesity and advanced kidney cancer.
How similar studies have gone: Prior work shows obesity can alter anti-tumor immunity, but clear mechanisms and actionable strategies remain to be defined.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Kentucky
Lexington, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Norian, Lyse a — University of Kentucky
- Study coordinator: Norian, Lyse a
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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.