Understanding T cells to improve cancer immunotherapy
Evaluation of T follicular regulatory cells as novel cellular targets of cancer immunotherapy
This research explores a specific type of immune cell, called T follicular regulatory (TFR) cells, to find new ways to make cancer treatments more effective and reduce side effects.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R37 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Tx Md Anderson Can Ctr NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Houston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11124788 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Current cancer immunotherapies, while powerful, only help a limited number of patients and can cause severe side effects. This happens because these treatments often affect other healthy immune cells in addition to cancer cells. Our team has found that TFR cells are common in human tumors and seem to play a key role in stopping current immunotherapies from working well. By understanding how these TFR cells function, we hope to develop more precise treatments that specifically target these cells, leading to better outcomes for patients.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: This foundational research is relevant for patients with solid tumors who may not respond well to current immune checkpoint blockade therapies or experience significant side effects.
Not a fit: Patients whose cancers do not involve the immune system or those who respond well to existing therapies may not directly benefit from this specific line of research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to new immunotherapy treatments for solid tumors that are more effective and have fewer side effects for patients.
How similar studies have performed: While current immunotherapies have shown success, this approach focuses on a novel cellular target, TFR cells, which our team has recently identified as critical in human and mouse tumors.
Where this research is happening
Houston, United States
- University of Tx Md Anderson Can Ctr — Houston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Eschweiler, Simon — University of Tx Md Anderson Can Ctr
- Study coordinator: Eschweiler, Simon
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 below.