Understanding how tumors and the immune system interact in glioblastoma
Official title: Project 2: Deciphering the Dynamic Evolution of the Tumor-Immune Interface
Funded at Massachusetts Institute of Technology · NIH-11420562 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A high-tech research project combines tumor and immune cell studies to find key pathways that drive glioblastoma progression and immune resistance, using patient-like models and advanced data analysis.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Massachusetts Institute of Technology NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Cambridge, United States) |
| Project start | September 15, 2023 |
| Project end | August 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $354,154 |
| NIH project number | 5U54CA283114-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11420562 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Patients with glioblastoma or related brain tumors who consent to provide tissue samples and participate in biomarker studies may benefit from future advances stemming from these findings.
✕Less likely to help
Not all patients may benefit directly; many results are foundational and may take time to translate into therapies.
What this research studies
Researchers at MIT and Dana-Farber are studying how glioblastoma tumors evolve to suppress the immune system, using multi-omic measurements and computational models. They will build co-culture systems to mimic the tumor-immune interface in the lab, then test findings in mouse models to see if predicted targets alter immune states and tumor behavior. The work seeks to identify biomarkers and pathways that reflect tumor state and response to therapies, potentially guiding future treatments. The project combines cell biology, tissue-level analysis, and modeling to translate complex data into actionable insights for patients with GBM.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could reveal new targets and biomarkers to improve immunotherapy and personalized treatment for glioblastoma.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies using multi-omics and systems biology have identified immune-related targets in GBM, but this project expands to dynamic tumor-immune interactions and in vivo validation.
Where this research is happening
-
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Cambridge, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Spranger, Stefani — Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Study coordinator: Spranger, Stefani
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.