Using heat to activate CAR T cells for cancer treatment

Image-guided cancer therapy using heat activatable CAR T cells

NIH-funded research Georgia Institute of Technology · NIH-10888214

This study is exploring a new way to make CAR T cell therapy work better for breast cancer by using tiny gold particles and special imaging techniques to help the immune cells target and fight the tumors more effectively, which could lead to a safer and more successful treatment for patients.

Quick facts

Grant typeR01 grant
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionGeorgia Institute of Technology NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Atlanta, United States)
Project IDNIH-10888214 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

This research investigates a novel approach to enhance CAR T cell therapy for solid tumors, particularly breast cancer. It focuses on improving the ability of CAR T cells to infiltrate tumors and overcome the immunosuppressive environment by tagging them with gold nanorods and using thermal gene switches. The therapy is guided by a combination of ultrasound and photoacoustic imaging to ensure precise targeting and activation of the immune response. Patients may benefit from a more effective and safer cancer treatment option.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Ideal candidates for this research would be patients diagnosed with solid tumors, particularly breast cancer, who have not responded to conventional therapies.

Not a fit: Patients with hematological malignancies or those who do not have solid tumors may not benefit from this research.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to more effective and safer treatments for patients with solid tumors like breast cancer.

How similar studies have performed: While CAR T cell therapy has shown success in hematological cancers, this approach for solid tumors is novel and has not been extensively tested.

Where this research is happening

Atlanta, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Conditions Breast CancerBreast Cancer Cell
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.