Understanding how a specific type of T helper cell drives gut GVHD and how to target it safely
Official title: Differentiation, fate, and function of pathogenic T helper cells in graft-versus-host disease
Funded at Purdue University · NIH-11275854 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A Purdue-led study will look at a special group of CD4 T helper cells that fuel gut GVHD after cancer treatment, with the goal of blocking them without hurting anti-cancer effects.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Purdue University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (West Lafayette, United States) |
| Project start | June 24, 2026 |
| Project end | May 31, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $775,740 |
| NIH project number | 1R01AI196441-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11275854 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Patients who have undergone hematopoietic cell transplantation and are at risk for or have GVHD, particularly intestinal GVHD.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without GVHD or those unlikely to benefit from therapies targeting GrA+ Th cells.
What this research studies
GVHD after hematopoietic cell transplantation can cause serious gut inflammation and affects many patients. This project focuses on a unique GrA-producing Th cell type found in inflamed intestines of people and mice, and how these cells arise and cause damage. Researchers will study the signals and environment that guide these cells to form and act, using mouse models and human samples. The aim is to identify targeted strategies that suppress these harmful cells while preserving beneficial anti-tumor immunity. If successful, the work could lead to more precise therapies for gut GVHD with fewer cancer-treatment trade-offs.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients could receive more effective gut GVHD treatment with fewer compromises to cancer control.
How similar studies have gone: Prior work in mice and humans links GrA+ Th cells to intestinal GVHD; this project builds on that foundation with deeper mechanistic study.
Where this research is happening
-
Purdue University
West Lafayette, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Olson, Matthew R — Purdue University
- Study coordinator: Olson, Matthew R
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Targeting early oral GVHD to improve mouth health after stem cell transplant
A study at UW–Madison will explore why some transplant patients develop painful oral GVHD and test ideas to prevent and lessen mouth-related problems.
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Microbiome-based therapy for treatment-refractory GVHD after stem cell transplant
A microbiome-based therapy is being developed to help people who have graft-versus-host disease that doesn’t respond to standard treatments after a stem cell transplant.
-
Role of altered mitochondria in preventing GVHD after stem cell transplant
This NIH grant explores how damaged mitochondria released during pre-transplant conditioning may trigger graft-versus-host disease and tests ways to fix mitochondrial dynamics to prevent GVHD.
-
Fecal transplant plus fiber to treat graft-versus-host disease after blood stem cell transplant
A study to see if giving fecal transplant along with dietary fiber helps gut health and reduces complications in patients who have received a stem cell transplant and developed graft-versus-host disease.
-
Using medium-chain fatty acids and a fat-sensing receptor to treat chronic graft-versus-host disease
This project looks at whether changing medium‑chain fatty acids or blocking a fat sensor called GPR84 can help people with chronic graft‑versus‑host disease after a bone marrow/stem cell transplant.
-
Microbiome-based oral therapy for gut GVHD after stem cell transplant
Researchers are testing an oral live Biotherapeutic Product to help the gut microbiome improve graft-versus-host disease after stem cell transplant patients.
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.