Predicting Immunotherapy Success for Lung Cancer
Official title: Intratumoral microbiota and immune predictors of response to immunotherapy in lung cancer
Funded at Baylor College of Medicine · NIH-11139591 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at bacteria inside tumors and immune cells to help predict which lung cancer patients will respond best to immunotherapy.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Baylor College of Medicine NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Houston, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2024 |
| Project end | July 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $653,786 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CA285882-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11139591 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
This research focuses on patients with advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer who have received or are considering immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who do not have lung cancer or are not candidates for immunotherapy would not directly benefit from this specific research.
What this research studies
Immunotherapy is a powerful treatment for advanced lung cancer, but it doesn't work for everyone. We want to find better ways to predict who will benefit most from these treatments and understand why some patients don't respond. Our team is looking closely at the types of bacteria found within lung tumors and how immune cells behave in the tumor environment. By combining this information, we hope to create a model that can accurately tell us which patients are most likely to respond to immunotherapy. This could help doctors choose the best treatment path for each individual.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to more personalized treatment plans for lung cancer patients, ensuring they receive the most effective immunotherapy.
How similar studies have gone: While the role of the tumor microenvironment and microbiota in immunotherapy response is an active area of investigation, this specific integrative predictive model is a novel approach.
Where this research is happening
-
Baylor College of Medicine
Houston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Liu, Yanhong — Baylor College of Medicine
- Study coordinator: Liu, Yanhong
Related research
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Intratumoral microbiota and immune predictors of response to immunotherapy in lung cancer
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Understanding how gut bacteria and immune cells affect lung cancer treatment response
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A new antibody approach aims to block a key TGFβ-related pathway in the tumor environment to help people with non-small cell lung cancer respond better to therapy.
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Targeting DHX9 to boost viral-like immune response in Small Cell Lung Cancer
A scientist team is testing whether blocking a protein called DHX9 can make aggressive small cell lung cancer more visible to the immune system and more responsive to immunotherapy.
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.