Understanding how fats in tumors affect immune attack and cancer growth
Official title: Defining the role of sphingolipid synthesis in anti-tumor immunity
Funded at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory · NIH-11431992 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at how lipid production in cancer cells influences their growth and how the immune system fights the tumor, and how dietary fats might change that interaction.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Cold Spring Harbor, United States) |
| Project start | July 1, 2026 |
| Project end | June 30, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $770,911 |
| NIH project number | 1R01CA316351-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11431992 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Patients with cancers where lipid metabolism and immune interactions are relevant, such as pancreatic or colorectal cancers, could benefit from future therapies arising from this work.
✕Less likely to help
Immediate benefits may not reach patients until after further development; the study uses mouse models and basic mechanistic work.
What this research studies
Cancer cells need to redo their lipid makeup to grow, which can also change how immune cells see and attack tumors. The researchers will study a key enzyme that makes sphingolipids to see how it affects tumor growth in mice with different immune system states. They will use genetic screening and models of pancreatic and colorectal cancer to identify how lipid pathways shape the tumor environment and immune response. The goal is to learn whether manipulating lipids, possibly through diet or therapy, could boost anti-tumor immunity. This work is designed to reveal concrete molecular targets that could be leveraged in future cancer treatments.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the findings could lead to new strategies that enhance the body's immune attack on tumors by targeting lipid metabolism.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work shows sphingolipid synthesis is important for tumor growth in the presence of an intact immune system, supporting potential viability of this approach.
Where this research is happening
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Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
Cold Spring Harbor, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Beyaz, Semir — Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
- Study coordinator: Beyaz, Semir
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.