Tapping T cells' memory to map bacterial antigens
Official title: Song - Proj 3
Funded at Dartmouth College · NIH-11406071 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A patient-facing overview of using blood samples to understand which T cells recognize bacteria, by linking T-cell receptors to their targets using advanced sequencing and new computational methods.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Dartmouth College NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Hanover, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2019 |
| Project end | June 30, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $262,414 |
| NIH project number | 5P20GM130454-08 |
| Project ID | NIH-11406071 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with bacterial infections or immune-related concerns who provide blood samples for analysis may participate.
✕Less likely to help
Some participants may not directly benefit if no actionable target is identified in their sample.
What this research studies
This project focuses on how our immune system’s T cells identify bacteria. Researchers will develop new computer tools to analyze big sequencing datasets and link T-cell receptors to potential bacterial antigens. They will adapt these methods to different sequencing platforms to include more samples. The goal is to map how T cells and the microbiome interact, which could inform future vaccines or personalized therapies. If successful, these tools could help doctors understand a patient’s immune history and current bacterial threats.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients could benefit from better understanding of their immune responses to bacteria and more targeted approaches for vaccines or treatments.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work has shown it’s possible to extract TCR and microbiome information from sequencing data, with ongoing efforts to link TCRs to targets.
Where this research is happening
-
Dartmouth College
Hanover, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Song, Li — Dartmouth College
- Study coordinator: Song, Li
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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.