Personalized antigens for kidney cancer therapy
Official title: DF/HCC Kidney Cancer Project 3: Discovering and Targeting Personal Versus Shared Antigens for Antigen-Targeting Therapy for RCC
Funded at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center · NIH-11421800 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This grant explores identifying and targeting tumor-specific antigens in kidney cancer to develop more effective, personalized immunotherapies.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | September 18, 2003 |
| Project end | August 31, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $322,233 |
| NIH project number | 2P50CA101942-21A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11421800 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with renal cell carcinoma who have tumors expressing identifiable antigens suitable for targeted therapy.
✕Less likely to help
Patients whose tumors lack targetable antigens or who cannot safely receive immunotherapies.
What this research studies
Kidney cancer patients could benefit if we can map unique tumor antigens and combine them with immune therapies. The project uses advanced methods to detect cancer-specific antigens and analyze single-cell tumor environments to guide personalized vaccine or cell-based treatments. It aims to overcome tumor heterogeneity that limits current immune therapies and improve remission rates. Researchers plan to develop antigen-targeting strategies that harness T cells to attack cancer cells more precisely.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to more effective, personalized vaccines or cell-based therapies for kidney cancer.
How similar studies have gone: Prior cancer immunotherapy efforts show promise, but personalized antigen targeting in RCC is an evolving area with early successes in related cancers.
Where this research is happening
-
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Mcdermott, David — Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Mcdermott, David
Related research
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Maximizing anti-tumor immune responses in kidney cancer
A cutting-edge program at UT Southwestern aims to speed up better immunotherapy options for kidney cancer by studying how to activate both innate and adaptive immune responses.
-
Kidney Cancer Career Enhancement Program (CEP) at DF/HCC
A career-boosting program supports junior investigators studying kidney cancer to help them advance in basic, translational, and clinical work.
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Kidney Cancer Development Program at DF/HCC
A funded program at Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women’s Kidney Cancer Center supports new ideas from researchers to improve understanding and treatment of kidney cancer.
-
Optimizing Anti-PD1 Therapy for High-Risk and Metastatic Kidney Cancer
A large cancer research grant is testing how best to use anti-PD-1 therapy to help people with high-risk and metastatic kidney cancer live longer and with fewer side effects.
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Targeting the HIF2 Pathway in Kidney Cancer
A cancer treatment program aims to see if a drug called belzutifan can help people with a specific kind of kidney cancer whose growth is driven by the HIF2 pathway.
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Kidney Cancer Tissue Bank and Data Repository Core
A kidney cancer tissue, blood and clinical data repository core aims to collect, store, and organize samples and linked clinical information to support research and improve care for kidney cancer patients.
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.