TBK1 and the immune system in cancer: boosting how the body attacks tumors
Official title: Dissecting the tumor-intrinsic and -extrinsic roles of TBK1 in tumor immunity
Funded at Medical University of South Carolina · NIH-11418513 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A study to understand how TBK1 in tumor and immune cells affects cancer immunotherapy and whether blocking TBK1 can help patients respond better to treatment.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R37 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Medical University of South Carolina NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Charleston, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2025 |
| Project end | July 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $569,782 |
| NIH project number | 5R37CA283560-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11418513 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Patients with cancers that rely on PD-1/PD-L1 pathways and TBK1-related immune interactions may benefit from future therapies stemming from this work.
✕Less likely to help
This research is preclinical and may not directly benefit every patient in the near term; some may not respond to TBK1-targeted strategies.
What this research studies
Researchers will use human-relevant models and genetic plus drug tools to see how TBK1 influences tumor immunity and the effectiveness of PD-1/PD-L1 blockade. They will examine how TBK1 affects immune cells and cancer cells, including cytokine production and cell death pathways, to identify when TBK1 helps or hinders therapy. The work aims to clarify whether combining TBK1 inhibitors with immunotherapy could overcome resistance and improve tumor control in patients.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the approach could lead to new combination treatments that make immunotherapy work better for some patients.
How similar studies have gone: Preclinical findings show TBK1 influences immune responses and therapy resistance, supporting further investigation in cancer immunotherapy.
Where this research is happening
-
Medical University of South Carolina
Charleston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Jenkins, Russell William — Medical University of South Carolina
- Study coordinator: Jenkins, Russell William
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.