Reducing fat buildup in immune cells to help them fight solid tumors
Official title: Manipulating Lipid Metabolism to Reverse Immune Dysfunction in Solid Cancers
Funded at Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill · NIH-11239768 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This work tries to help immune cells attack solid cancers by blocking an enzyme (ACC) that causes harmful fat storage in those cells.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chapel Hill, United States) |
| Project start | December 3, 2024 |
| Project end | November 30, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $521,848 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CA288976-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11239768 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with solid tumors—particularly melanoma or sarcoma—or patients being considered for cellular immunotherapy are the most relevant candidates to benefit or provide samples.
✕Less likely to help
People with non-solid (blood) cancers or conditions not linked to ACC-driven lipid metabolism are unlikely to benefit from this work.
What this research studies
Researchers will study immune cells taken from solid tumors and use lab methods to see how blocking the enzyme acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC) changes fat storage and energy use in those cells. They will combine RNA sequencing, lipid analysis, high-resolution imaging, and advanced cell profiling to map the metabolic problems that make tumor-fighting T cells weak. The team will test strategies to lower ACC activity and reprogram T cells, including approaches that could be applied to engineered cell therapies like CAR-T. Results will be compared with human tumor samples and patient outcome data to guide potential clinical use.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could make immune cells and cellular immunotherapies work better against solid tumors, improving treatment responses.
How similar studies have gone: Prior lab and animal studies show that changing T cell metabolism can boost anti-tumor activity, but targeting ACC in patients is still largely experimental.
Where this research is happening
-
Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Thaxton, Jessica E — Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill
- Study coordinator: Thaxton, Jessica E
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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.