Tiny DNA packages to shape immune responses in cancer
Harnessing Nanoscale Presentation to Elucidate the Impact of Therapeutic Packaging on Innate Immunity
['FUNDING_OTHER'] · BOSTON UNIVERSITY (CHARLES RIVER CAMPUS) · NIH-11252357
Researchers will build precisely arranged nanoscale DNA structures to change how immune cells respond, aiming to improve cancer immunotherapies for people with cancer.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_OTHER'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | BOSTON UNIVERSITY (CHARLES RIVER CAMPUS) (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (BOSTON, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11252357 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
This program makes tiny, precisely built DNA-based nanostructures that carry and present immune signals or drugs to immune cells in specific patterns. The team will change the number, placement, and orientation of cargos on these nanosystems to see how those differences alter uptake, processing, and downstream immune signaling. Experiments will map how these design choices affect biodistribution and immune activation using laboratory and preclinical models to create clear design rules. The ultimate aim is to guide packaging of immunotherapies so they work more reliably across different patients.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates would be people with cancer who might later join clinical trials of nanostructure-based immunotherapies or provide blood or tissue samples to help translate these findings.
Not a fit: Patients without immune-driven cancers or those seeking immediate changes to their current treatment are unlikely to receive direct benefits from this laboratory-focused program.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could produce better-designed cancer immunotherapies that trigger stronger or safer immune responses across varied patients.
How similar studies have performed: Related nanoparticle and oligonucleotide platforms (for example mRNA vaccines and some nanoparticle drug carriers) have succeeded clinically, but precise, programmable nanoscale packaging for immune modulation remains largely preclinical and novel.
Where this research is happening
BOSTON, UNITED STATES
- BOSTON UNIVERSITY (CHARLES RIVER CAMPUS) — BOSTON, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: TEPLENSKY, MICHELLE H — BOSTON UNIVERSITY (CHARLES RIVER CAMPUS)
- Study coordinator: TEPLENSKY, MICHELLE H
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.
Conditions: Cancers