What makes CAR T cells keep killing cancer cells
What fuels CAR T-cell serial killing
This project looks at how CAR T cells get the energy to repeatedly find and kill cancer cells, with the goal of helping people with advanced blood cancers like acute myeloid leukemia.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Pennsylvania NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Philadelphia, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11285277 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would want to know why some CAR T cells can kill many cancer cells in a row while others tire out quickly. Researchers will use lab-grown CAR T cells and repetitive antigen exposure models along with real-time cytolysis measurements, metabolic assays, and multi-omic profiling (including ATAC-seq) to track energy use during migration and killing. They will look for genes and pathways, such as ASS1, that let T cells refill their energy stores and sustain serial killing. The findings aim to guide changes in how CAR T cells are made or conditioned so they work better for patients.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with advanced blood cancers like acute myeloid leukemia who are considering CAR T-cell therapy or who can donate blood or tumor samples for research are the most relevant candidates.
Not a fit: Patients seeking an immediate treatment effect, those not eligible for CAR T approaches, or people with unrelated solid tumors are unlikely to receive direct benefit from participating in this research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to CAR T therapies that last longer and kill more tumor cells, improving responses for patients with AML and other advanced cancers.
How similar studies have performed: Previous studies linking T-cell metabolism to function have shown promising lab and early clinical signals, but applying this specifically to the energetics of repeated killing is still a developing area.
Where this research is happening
Philadelphia, United States
- University of Pennsylvania — Philadelphia, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: O'connor, Roderick — University of Pennsylvania
- Study coordinator: O'connor, Roderick
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.