Understanding how intestinal T cells keep colorectal cancer in check
Official title: Defining mechanisms of epithelial surveillance by intestinal T cells
Funded at Rockefeller University · NIH-11376706 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Scientists are studying how immune cells in the gut lining help prevent colorectal cancer, especially in cases where current immunotherapies don’t work well.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Rockefeller University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project start | July 1, 2017 |
| Project end | June 30, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $916,243 |
| NIH project number | 2R01DK113375-10 |
| Project ID | NIH-11376706 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Patients with colorectal cancer, especially MSS CRC, could eventually benefit from therapies informed by this work.
✕Less likely to help
Direct patient benefit may be limited to future therapies; current patients are not enrolled in this grant.
What this research studies
This project explores how specific T cells in the intestinal lining interact with the gut environment to stop early tumor growth. It uses advanced mouse models and tumor organoids to see how T cell recruitment, clonal expansion, and signaling influence cancer control. The work builds on prior findings about gamma-damma T cells and IgA’s role in keeping cell growth in check, aiming to map mechanisms that could be targeted in people. The research team will use genetic fate-mapping tools to trace T cell behavior during tumor development and evaluate how mucosal signals shape surveillance.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could reveal new targets to boost gut immune surveillance and lead to therapies that help prevent colorectal cancer progression.
How similar studies have gone: Prior studies have shown T cells and IgA influence tumor dynamics, suggesting this approach could yield actionable insights.
Where this research is happening
-
Rockefeller University
New York, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Mucida, Daniel S — Rockefeller University
- Study coordinator: Mucida, Daniel S
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
How cells organize into organized tissues to form organs
Researchers are studying how human-like cells in a lab can self-organize within a scaffold to form orderly tissue patterns, which could illuminate how organs such as skin and bones develop.
-
Modeling Ataxia Telangiectasia in a human stem cell model of Purkinje cells
Researchers are creating a patient-derived, human cell model of Purkinje cells to understand why this brain disease causes cerebellar degeneration in people with Ataxia Telangiectasia.
-
Centers studying how cancer spreads through the body
A multi-institutional project at Rockefeller University is exploring how nerves, blood vessels, lymphatics, immune cells, and metabolites influence the spread of cancer to help identify new ways to stop metastasis.
-
Understanding how mycobacterial transcription works to guide better TB drugs
Researchers will study how the RNA polymerase of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and related bacteria start, pause, and finish copying genetic information, with the goal of informing new antibiotic strategies against TB.
-
How chromosomes stay true when cells divide in cancer research
Researchers are studying how chromosomes are accurately copied and distributed during cell division to understand and potentially prevent cancer.
-
Marmoset model of Huntington's disease shows how symptoms relate to brain and behavior
A researcher at a top university is studying how Huntington's disease affects brain signals and behavior in marmosets to better understand the human condition.
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.