Restoring dendritic-cell signaling to boost brain tumor T cells
Official title: Restoring Dendritic-Cell-Derived Immune Signaling to Reinvigorate T Cells in Glioblastoma
Funded at Massachusetts General Hospital · NIH-11447511 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Aims to re-activate the immune system inside the brain to better fight glioblastoma in adults.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R37 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Massachusetts General Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2026 |
| Project end | August 31, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $652,908 |
| NIH project number | 1R37CA302948-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11447511 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults 21 years and older with glioblastoma or at high risk for GBM progression, eligible for novel immune-based therapies.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with tumors that do not respond to immune-based strategies or who cannot tolerate viral vector therapies may not benefit.
What this research studies
This project focuses on glioblastoma, a deadly brain cancer, and tests a strategy to improve how dendritic cells talk to CD8 T cells in the brain. Researchers will use adeno-associated virus vectors to deliver immune-boosting signals directly to the tumor area, aiming to re-establish a communication loop that supports tumor-fighting T cells. The study combines preclinical and translational approaches to move from understanding the problem to testing a potential therapeutic in patients. If successful, this could lead to a new way to enhance the body's own immune response against GBM.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If the approach works, it could strengthen brain-local immune responses and extend survival for people with glioblastoma.
How similar studies have gone: Previous immunotherapies in GBM have struggled, so this approach is exploratory but builds on advancing concepts in brain immune activation.
Where this research is happening
-
Massachusetts General Hospital
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Breyne, Koen — Massachusetts General Hospital
- Study coordinator: Breyne, Koen
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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.