T cell movement and heart/blood-vessel side effects during immunotherapy
T cell migration and cardiovascular toxicity in immunotherapy
The team is testing ways to guide therapeutic T cells so people getting immune-cell treatments get stronger benefits with fewer dangerous heart or blood-vessel side effects.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Rochester NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Rochester, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11267968 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This project looks at why lab-grown T cells used as therapies can get trapped around blood vessels and trigger harmful inflammation in the heart and vessels. Researchers use live imaging in animals to watch where infused T cells go, and they run in vivo CRISPR gene-knockout screens plus high-throughput drug screens to find molecules that control T cell movement. They focus on pathways like LFA-1 that make T cells cling to vessel walls and then test genetic or drug changes to redirect T cells to the right targets and reduce cytokine release. The overall aim is to make adoptive T-cell therapies safer for people with cancer, autoimmune disease, or atherosclerosis by lowering the risk of cytokine-release syndrome and cardiovascular complications.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People receiving or considering adoptive T-cell therapies (for cancer, certain autoimmune conditions, or related diseases) who are concerned about immune-related heart or vascular side effects would be most relevant to this work.
Not a fit: Patients who are not treated with adoptive T-cell or similar immune-cell therapies, or whose heart disease is unrelated to immune treatments, are unlikely to see direct benefits from this work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could reduce life-threatening cytokine release and heart/blood-vessel damage so more patients can receive effective T-cell therapies safely.
How similar studies have performed: Some early clinical efforts have reduced immune-toxicity from modified T cells, but using live imaging together with in vivo CRISPR and drug screens to re-route T cells is a newer translational approach.
Where this research is happening
Rochester, United States
- University of Rochester — Rochester, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kim, Minsoo — University of Rochester
- Study coordinator: Kim, Minsoo
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.