Understanding and Overcoming T cell Immunosuppression in Glioblastoma (GBM)
Official title: Understanding and Overcoming T cell Immunosuppression in Glioblastoma
Funded at Brigham and Women's Hospital · NIH-11417398 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A large research program is looking at how glioblastoma tumors weaken immune responses and how to boost immune cells to fight GBM.
Quick facts
| Grant type | P01 program project |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Brigham and Women's Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | July 3, 2020 |
| Project end | August 31, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $2,672,918 |
| NIH project number | 2P01CA236749-06A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11417398 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Patients with glioblastoma who are eligible for immunotherapy and participate in the trial programs described by the project.
✕Less likely to help
Some patients may not respond to immunotherapies or may have contraindications to vaccines or viral therapies.
What this research studies
Glioblastoma is a deadly brain cancer where the immune system has trouble attacking the tumor. The project combines clinical trials of personalized peptide vaccines with oncolytic immunotherapy and tests combinations of immunotherapies to make immune cells more effective against GBM. Researchers will study new immune pathways, such as CD161 and PVRIG-related signals, to understand why GBM suppresses immunity. The effort integrates clinical data with advanced bioinformatics and immune profiling to guide therapies. The goal is to subvert the tumor’s immune environment and improve patient outcomes.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients with GBM could receive more effective immunotherapies that help control or slow tumor growth.
How similar studies have gone: Immunotherapy approaches have shown promise in other cancers, but GBM has been challenging; this program builds on recent advances and explores novel pathways.
Where this research is happening
-
Brigham and Women's Hospital
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Chiocca, E. Antonio — Brigham and Women's Hospital
- Study coordinator: Chiocca, E. Antonio
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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AHR-driven immunosuppression in glioblastoma and new therapeutic targets
A personalized cancer study aims to understand why glioblastoma suppresses the immune system and to find ways to boost anti-tumor immunity in patients with this brain tumor.
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How the protein CHI3L1 weakens immune attacks in glioblastoma
Seeing if blocking CHI3L1 helps the immune system attack glioblastoma in adults with this brain tumor.
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Investigating how a protein affects immune response in brain tumors
This study is looking at how glioblastoma, a tough brain tumor, manages to escape the body's immune defenses, focusing on a protein called CHI3L1, to find new ways to help the immune system fight the tumor better.
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Understanding how certain immune cells affect glioblastoma progression
This study is looking at how certain immune cells called myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) affect glioblastoma, a tough brain cancer, and how these cells might differ between men and women, with the hope of finding better ways to help patients respond to treatments.
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Exploring ways to enhance T cell activity against glioblastoma
This study is looking at ways to make treatments for glioblastoma, a tough type of brain cancer, work better by focusing on the immune system's T cells, and it aims to find new ways to boost these cells to help patients feel better.
-
Investigating how immune cells affect glioblastoma growth
This study is looking at how certain immune cells in the brain, called tumor-associated macrophages, affect glioblastoma and how we can use this information to create new treatments that help the immune system fight the tumor better.
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.