Predicting which parts of germs or tumors trigger T cells in different people
Development of computational tools for accounting for host variability in predicting T-cell epitopes
Creating computer tools to predict which pieces of viruses, allergens, or cancer proteins will trigger T cells in different people so treatments can be better tailored.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Georgia Institute of Technology NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Atlanta, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11172567 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This project builds computer models to predict which small pieces of proteins (epitopes) your T cells will recognize, while accounting for differences in people's genes. The team combines knowledge of how proteins are processed in the body with human genetic and immune data to improve predictions. They are designing software that works across different strains of pathogens and across individual patients because animal tests can miss human-specific responses. Researchers could use these tools to guide vaccine design and personalized immunotherapies.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with infectious diseases, allergies, or cancer who can provide genetic or immune data or biological samples for testing or validation could be relevant contributors.
Not a fit: People seeking immediate clinical treatment are unlikely to receive direct medical benefit from this tool-development project itself.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could lead to more effective vaccines and more personalized allergy and cancer immunotherapies matched to a person's genetics.
How similar studies have performed: There are existing epitope-prediction tools with some success, but they often miss individual differences, so this personalized approach is promising yet not fully proven in patients.
Where this research is happening
Atlanta, United States
- Georgia Institute of Technology — Atlanta, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kieslich, Chris a. — Georgia Institute of Technology
- Study coordinator: Kieslich, Chris a.
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.