Understanding immune cells in bladder cancer treatment
Official title: Characterizing the immune infiltrate in muscle-invasive urothelial carcinoma
Funded at Ohio State University · NIH-10880631 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how the immune cells in bladder cancer respond to chemotherapy before surgery, to help find out which patients might do better with stronger treatments.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Career grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Ohio State University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Columbus, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | July 4, 2023 |
| Project end | June 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $273,561 |
| NIH project number | 5K08CA277016-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-10880631 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are patients diagnosed with muscle-invasive urothelial carcinoma who are undergoing neoadjuvant chemotherapy.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer or those who are not candidates for chemotherapy may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates how immune cells in muscle-invasive urothelial carcinoma respond to treatment, particularly focusing on the effectiveness of neoadjuvant chemotherapy. By analyzing tissue samples from patients before and after treatment, the study aims to identify biomarkers that can predict which patients will benefit from intensified therapy. The approach utilizes advanced techniques like spatial transcriptomics and proteomics to assess gene and protein expression in tumor and immune cells. This could lead to more personalized treatment strategies for patients with bladder cancer.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to improved treatment strategies that enhance survival rates for patients with muscle-invasive urothelial carcinoma.
How similar studies have gone: Preliminary evidence in other cancers suggests that studying immune cell infiltration can provide valuable insights, indicating potential success for this approach in urothelial carcinoma.
Where this research is happening
-
Ohio State University
Columbus, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Collier, Katharine a. — Ohio State University
- Study coordinator: Collier, Katharine a.
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Understanding bladder cancer biology to find new biomarkers and therapies
A study at Tuskegee University will look at the molecules inside high-grade bladder cancer to discover new markers and potential treatment targets.
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Improved 3D guidance for kidney-sparing endoscopic UTUC treatment
A Vanderbilt team is testing a new 3D-guided approach to precisely locate and treat upper tract urothelial cancer during kidney-sparing endoscopic procedures.
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Immune cells in bladder cancer: predicting who benefits from stronger pre-surgery therapy
This grant aims to find immune clues in muscle-invasive bladder cancer to identify which patients will best respond to intensified pre-surgery treatment.
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Synergistic immune boost for bladder cancer with EphrinB2 blocker and PD-1 therapy
A phase II trial tests whether a new EphrinB2 blocker (sEphB4-HSA) plus pembrolizumab can help patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer who have EphrinB2 and low Nectin4 to fight their cancer.
-
HER2 PET scans to find HER2 differences and predict response to HER2-targeted therapy in bladder cancer
This project uses a PET scan that lights up HER2 to help show which people with metastatic bladder (urothelial) cancer might benefit from HER2-targeted antibody-drug conjugates.
-
Treating bladder cancer with ARID1A gene changes
This project will develop new treatment approaches for people with bladder cancer whose tumors have changes in the ARID1A gene.
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.