Verifying immune targets and thymus health across ages
Human Target Verification and Thymic Function Core
This program checks key immune targets and how the thymus works across different ages using human thymus, lymph node, and T cell samples.
Quick facts
| Grant type | P01 program project |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Arizona NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Tucson, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11308358 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From your perspective, the core uses a large human biobank of thymus and lymph node tissues from donors ranging from newborns to older adults to confirm findings from mouse studies. The team supplies age- and sex-defined tissue panels and performs histology, flow cytometry, sjTREC measurements, and gene expression testing on human and mouse samples. These lab tests help show whether molecular targets and pathways seen in mice are present and changing in people as they age. The core supports multiple projects by providing data and specimens that speed translation toward therapies for immune aging and cancer.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants are people of various ages who can donate thymus or lymph node tissue (for example during surgery) or provide blood samples for immune testing.
Not a fit: People seeking immediate clinical treatment or those unable or unwilling to donate tissue or samples would not directly benefit from this core's activities.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could speed development of treatments that restore thymus function or improve immune responses in older adults and patients with cancer.
How similar studies have performed: Related translational efforts have moved immune targets from mice into human studies, but applying these methods specifically to human thymic aging and verification is partly novel.
Where this research is happening
Tucson, United States
- University of Arizona — Tucson, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Hale, Laura P. — University of Arizona
- Study coordinator: Hale, Laura 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.