Targeting STING to improve cancer treatment
A systems-level approach to therapeutically target STING in cancer
['FUNDING_R01'] · WEILL MEDICAL COLL OF CORNELL UNIV · NIH-11291340
Researchers are developing a DNA-barcoding and single-cell sequencing approach to find ways to target the STING pathway to help people with cancer.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_R01'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | WEILL MEDICAL COLL OF CORNELL UNIV (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (NEW YORK, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11291340 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
This project builds a new technology called SatSeq that tags many altered versions of immune-related proteins with DNA barcodes and reads their effects one cell at a time. The team will use saturation mutagenesis and single-cell sequencing to map how different changes in STING-related proteins change immune behavior in cells and animal models. By testing these changes in complex biological systems, they hope to reveal specific protein functions that could be targeted by drugs. Results could point to more precise ways to boost or block STING activity in tumors.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with cancers in which the STING pathway is active or being considered for immune-based therapies (for example certain solid tumors) would be most relevant for future trials or sample donation.
Not a fit: Patients whose cancers do not involve immune pathways or conditions unrelated to cancer are unlikely to see direct benefit from this research in the near term.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could identify new targets or strategies to improve immune-based cancer therapies that act through the STING pathway.
How similar studies have performed: STING-targeting approaches have shown promise in preclinical and early clinical work, but the SatSeq method for large-scale, single-cell functional mapping is a novel and untested technology.
Where this research is happening
NEW YORK, UNITED STATES
- WEILL MEDICAL COLL OF CORNELL UNIV — NEW YORK, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: LAUGHNEY, ASHLEY MARIE — WEILL MEDICAL COLL OF CORNELL UNIV
- Study coordinator: LAUGHNEY, ASHLEY MARIE
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.