Tumor and immune factors that drive anti-tumor immune responses in kidney cancer
Official title: Tumor and immune determinants of effective anti-tumor immunity in renal cell carcinoma
Funded at Yale University · NIH-11350959 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This grant looks at why some people with advanced kidney cancer respond to immune therapies and others don’t, with a focus on how immune cells inside tumors interact with cancer cells.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R37 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Yale University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New Haven, United States) |
| Project start | July 14, 2023 |
| Project end | June 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $661,522 |
| NIH project number | 5R37CA279822-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11350959 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma receiving or considered for PD-1–based immunotherapy.
✕Less likely to help
Patients whose tumors do not engage the identified immune mechanisms may not experience improved responses from current therapies.
What this research studies
Doctors and scientists at Yale will study kidney cancer tumors to understand which immune cells, especially CD8 T cells, and which tumor changes influence responses to PD-1 inhibitor therapy. The project will explore why a relatively low number of mutations in kidney cancer can still trigger immune activity and how the surrounding immune environment affects treatment success. Using patient tumor samples and advanced analyses, researchers aim to map cellular interactions that promote or hinder effective immunity against renal cell carcinoma. The findings could reveal new markers to predict who benefits from immunotherapy and inform strategies to overcome resistance.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the research could lead to better prediction of who will benefit from immunotherapy and guide new approaches to improve responses in advanced kidney cancer.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work shows complex relationships between immune cells and tumor genetics in RCC, and this project aims to clarify those mechanisms in this cancer type.
Where this research is happening
-
Yale University
New Haven, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Braun, David — Yale University
- Study coordinator: Braun, David
Related research
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Targeting HIF2 in kidney cancer: a new approach for clear cell RCC
A kidney cancer research program tests whether blocking HIF2 can slow or stop tumors in people with clear cell renal cell carcinoma.
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.