Using the thymus to make long-lasting CAR T cells for cancer control
Harnessing the thymus for long-term tumor control with hematopoietic stem cell-derived naive CAR T cells
Creating long-lasting CAR T cells inside the thymus to help children and young adults with high-risk cancers avoid relapse.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R37 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Hackensack University Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Hackensack, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11256723 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This project plans to use your own blood or bone marrow stem cells that are genetically modified to carry a tumor-targeting CAR. Those engineered stem cells would be placed into the thymus using a minimally invasive, image-guided injection so your body can continuously produce fresh, naive CAR T cells. The aim is ongoing immune surveillance against cancer cells instead of relying on a single short-lived CAR T infusion. The team will refine methods for safe intrathymic delivery and test the approach in models to prepare for future patient use.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates would likely be pediatric and young adult patients with high-risk blood cancers who have completed initial intensive chemotherapy and can undergo stem cell collection and thymic delivery.
Not a fit: Older adults with a shrunken thymus, patients with solid tumors not targeted by the chosen CAR, or anyone unable to tolerate stem cell collection or intrathymic procedures may not benefit.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could provide durable tumor control with fewer relapses and reduce the need for repeat CAR T infusions.
How similar studies have performed: CAR T therapies have produced remissions in many patients, but using stem cells and intrathymic generation of naive CAR T cells is largely novel and unproven in humans.
Where this research is happening
Hackensack, United States
- Hackensack University Medical Center — Hackensack, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Zakrzewski, Johannes — Hackensack University Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Zakrzewski, Johannes
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.