Turning tumor-helping immune cells into cancer-eating macrophages to fight glioblastoma
Macrophage-based Therapy and Immune Checkpoint Blockade for Glioblastoma
This project tries to convert tumor-supporting macrophages into cancer-eating macrophages and combine that change with checkpoint drugs to help people with glioblastoma.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Cleveland Clinic Lerner Com-Cwru NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Cleveland, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11238057 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers use lab-grown (iPSC-derived) macrophages and fluorescently labeled glioma cells to screen for drugs that make macrophages engulf tumor cells. They discovered that certain BACE1 inhibitors boost macrophage phagocytosis of glioma cells, including glioma stem cells. The team will study how reprogrammed macrophages alter the tumor immune environment and whether pairing this approach with immune checkpoint blockade increases anti-tumor activity. Most work is currently done in the lab and could guide future clinical testing for patients with GBM.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults with a diagnosis of glioblastoma, particularly those with recurrent or treatment-resistant disease, would be the most likely candidates for future trials informed by this work.
Not a fit: People with non-glioblastoma brain conditions, tumors that do not involve macrophage-driven suppression, or those unable to receive immune-modulating treatments may not benefit from this approach.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could improve immune therapy responses and help shrink or slow growth of glioblastoma tumors.
How similar studies have performed: Lab and animal studies of macrophage reprogramming and checkpoint blockade have shown promise, but effective patient treatments for glioblastoma remain largely unproven.
Where this research is happening
Cleveland, United States
- Cleveland Clinic Lerner Com-Cwru — Cleveland, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Bao, Shideng — Cleveland Clinic Lerner Com-Cwru
- Study coordinator: Bao, Shideng
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.