Understanding skin reactions from immune cancer drugs and how our body’s immune system reacts to them
Official title: Population Analysis and Tissue-Level Immune Profiling of Cutaneous Toxicity to Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors
Funded at Vanderbilt University Medical Center · NIH-11437973 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This grant explores why some people develop severe skin reactions when treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors and aims to use patient data and tissue studies to improve care.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Career grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Vanderbilt University Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Nashville, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2026 |
| Project end | June 30, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $165,024 |
| NIH project number | 1K08AR088287-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11437973 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Patients receiving immune checkpoint inhibitors who develop or are at risk for skin toxicity.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without skin-related adverse reactions may not directly benefit, though the insights could still inform broader safety.
What this research studies
This mentorship-focused grant supports a clinician-researcher in Nashville to study how immune cancer drugs change skin safety, using patient records and tissue analysis. The project will look at who is at higher risk and how immune cells in the skin respond when these drugs are used. The work combines clinical data with genomic and spatial analysis of skin tissue to map mechanisms behind severe reactions. The goal is to build a translational program that can guide safer use of ICIs for patients who need them.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could lead to better prediction and prevention of severe skin toxicities in patients treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies show associations between HLA alleles and drug reactions; this work aims to translate that to ICI-associated skin toxicity.
Where this research is happening
-
Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Nashville, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Mukherjee, Eric Milan — Vanderbilt University Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Mukherjee, Eric Milan
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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.