Understanding why some glioblastoma patients respond long-term to an ATL-DC vaccine
Official title: Decoding the Mechanisms Behind Durable Immunotherapy Responses in Glioblastoma
Funded at University of California Los Angeles · NIH-11453574 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A study in glioblastoma patients exploring why a personalized vaccine made from a patient’s own tumor blood cells helps some people live longer.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California Los Angeles NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Los Angeles, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2026 |
| Project end | July 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $404,972 |
| NIH project number | 1R21CA309450-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11453574 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Patients with glioblastoma who have been treated with ATL-DC vaccine and have tumor or blood samples available for analysis.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without the specific immune profiles or samples studied may not benefit from the findings.
What this research studies
Researchers will analyze tumor tissue and blood from glioblastoma patients who received an autologous tumor lysate-pulsed dendritic cell vaccine to understand immune features linked to long-term control. They will use spatial transcriptomics and high-plex imaging to map immune cells within tumors and single-cell sequencing to track T cell changes in blood. This work aims to connect specific brain tumor immune environments with durable responses and longer survival in a subset of patients.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could identify immune patterns that predict who will benefit from ATL-DC therapy and guide strategies to boost responses in more patients.
How similar studies have gone: Prior reports show enhanced survival in some ATL-DC treated glioblastoma patients, suggesting the approach can work in a subset of individuals.
Where this research is happening
-
University of California Los Angeles
Los Angeles, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Hugo, Willy — University of California Los Angeles
- Study coordinator: Hugo, Willy
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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.