Using a specific immune cell (ILC2) to help the body fight pancreatic cancer
Group 2 Innate Lymphoid Cell Regulation of Pancreatic Cancer Immunity
This project looks at whether boosting ILC2 immune cells can help people with pancreatic cancer whose tumors lack T cells respond to immunotherapy.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Sloan-Kettering Inst Can Research NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11143190 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers compared immune cells in rare long-term survivors' tumors (hot tumors) with typical short-term survivors' tumors (cold tumors) and found higher numbers of ILC2 cells in hot tumors. They use human tumor samples and mouse models to test how ILC2s recruit CD103+ dendritic cells and activate CD8+ killer T cells inside pancreatic tumors. The team will probe the pathways ILC2s use and test strategies to boost ILC2 activity to convert cold tumors into immune-active ones that respond to treatment. Findings will be used to identify targets for new therapies that could move into clinical testing.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, particularly those whose tumors are 'cold' with few T cells, would be the main group who could benefit from future therapies based on this work.
Not a fit: Patients with non-pancreatic cancers or those whose tumors already respond to current immunotherapies may not gain direct benefit from this specific line of research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could enable new immunotherapies that make pancreatic tumors responsive to treatment and improve patient survival.
How similar studies have performed: Previous lab and mouse studies, including the team's prior work, have shown ILC2s can recruit dendritic cells and activate CD8 T cells in tumors, but translating these findings into human treatments remains largely untested.
Where this research is happening
New York, United States
- Sloan-Kettering Inst Can Research — New York, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Balachandran, Vinod P — Sloan-Kettering Inst Can Research
- Study coordinator: Balachandran, Vinod P
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.