Strategic modulation of liver metabolism to boost cancer immune therapy
Official title: Strategic Modulation of Liver Phenylalanine Metabolism and Neutrophil Kainate Receptor to Influence the Tumor Macroenvironment: Mechanisms and Preclinical Strategies
Funded at University of Tx Md Anderson Can Ctr · NIH-11446862 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A large NIH grant is exploring how liver phenylalanine metabolism and a neutrophil receptor affect how well melanoma patients respond to immune checkpoint therapies, with approaches tested in humanized models and patient data.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Tx Md Anderson Can Ctr NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Houston, United States) |
| Project start | September 7, 2026 |
| Project end | August 31, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $702,683 |
| NIH project number | 1R01CA299430-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11446862 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Patients with advanced melanoma or those receiving immune checkpoint inhibitors may benefit from future strategies informed by this work.
✕Less likely to help
Patients not undergoing immune therapy or without melanoma would not directly benefit from these findings.
What this research studies
This project looks at how the body’s processing of phenylalanine in the liver can influence the effectiveness of immune therapies for melanoma. Researchers will test different diets and metabolic states in humanized melanoma models to see how they impact immune cell activity and therapy response. They will also analyze serum and tumor samples from hundreds of melanoma patients to understand the links between phenylalanine levels and treatment outcomes. The goal is to uncover mechanisms that blunt or boost antitumor T cell responses and to identify strategies to improve therapy success.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, findings could lead to dietary or metabolic interventions that enhance immune therapy effectiveness for melanoma.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work suggests metabolism can influence immune responses, but this project explores a novel Phe-GRIK1-neutrophil pathway in melanoma.
Where this research is happening
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University of Tx Md Anderson Can Ctr
Houston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Yang, Liuqing — University of Tx Md Anderson Can Ctr
- Study coordinator: Yang, Liuqing
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.