Teaching CAR T cells to recognize solid tumors using signals from cancer and nearby cells
Official title: Recognizing the tumor ecosystem: Integrating stromal and cancer antigen signals to achieve precision recognition of solid tumors by CAR T cells
Funded at University of California, San Francisco · NIH-11232303 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project develops engineered immune cells that look for combinations of markers on tumor and surrounding cells so they can find and kill solid tumors more precisely.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California, San Francisco NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (San Francisco, United States) |
| Project start | December 1, 2020 |
| Project end | November 30, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $413,237 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CA249018-06 |
| Project ID | NIH-11232303 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Once clinical trials begin, ideal candidates would be people with solid tumors whose cancers express the specific combinations of antigens used by the engineered CAR T cells.
✕Less likely to help
Patients whose tumors do not display the targeted antigen combinations or who need immediate standard treatments may not benefit from this approach.
What this research studies
Researchers are engineering CAR T cells with a two-step sensing circuit that first senses a 'priming' marker in the tumor environment and then turns on a killing receptor to attack cancer cells. The team will test these circuits in laboratory and preclinical models to see if they can tell tumor tissue apart from normal organs and avoid off-tumor damage. The goal is to use information from both cancer cells and nearby stromal or immune cells to improve targeting. If the lab results are promising, the approach could move toward clinical trials at cancer centers.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could make CAR T cell therapy safer and effective for some solid tumors by reducing damage to normal tissues.
How similar studies have gone: CAR T therapies have worked very well for certain blood cancers, but multi-antigen circuit approaches for solid tumors are newer and have promising preclinical data but limited clinical proof so far.
Where this research is happening
-
University of California, San Francisco
San Francisco, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Lim, Wendell a — University of California, San Francisco
- Study coordinator: Lim, Wendell a
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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.