Why some immune T cells may let lung cancer grow
Official title: Mechanisms of Immunosurveillance for Lung Cancer-the Role of CD8+ T Cells in Tumor Tolerance Induction
Funded at Baltimore VA Medical Center · NIH-11479568 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This work looks at whether a common immune cell (CD8+ T cell) can make the body tolerate lung cancer, aiming to help people with lung cancer get more effective immunotherapy.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Baltimore VA Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Baltimore, United States) |
| Project start | January 1, 2014 |
| Project end | September 30, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| NIH project number | 5I01BX002299-09 |
| Project ID | NIH-11479568 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with lung cancer (including Veterans) who may later qualify for immunotherapy trials based on these findings would be the most relevant patients.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with cancers other than lung cancer or those seeking immediate clinical treatments are unlikely to benefit directly from this preclinical work.
What this research studies
From a patient's point of view, researchers are studying why a type of immune cell called CD8+ T cell sometimes helps lung tumors grow instead of fighting them. They use mouse models of transplantable and chemically induced lung cancer to observe how these T cells change the immune response. The team will search for specific signals and molecules (including things like PD-L1 and inflammatory factors) and study how CD8+ T cells interact with natural killer cells. The goal is to produce lab data that can guide new immunotherapy ideas for Veterans and the general public.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new ways to improve immunotherapy so more people with lung cancer respond to treatment.
How similar studies have gone: Immune therapies aimed at CD8+ T cells have worked well in cancers like melanoma, but lung cancer has been less responsive, and this project explores a novel mechanism that may explain that difference.
Where this research is happening
-
Baltimore VA Medical Center
Baltimore, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Krupnick, Alexander S. — Baltimore VA Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Krupnick, Alexander S.
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Blood-based markers to identify lung cancer risk in never-smokers
A researchers team at NYU School of Medicine is testing blood tests that might flag higher lung cancer risk in people who have never smoked, helping decide who might need screening.
-
Integrative Analysis of Lung Cancer Risk and Its Causes
A large, multi-part study at the University of New Mexico is exploring why lung cancer happens and how to better prevent and detect it.
-
Integrative Analysis of Lung Cancer Risk and Causes
A large NIH project is exploring how tobacco use, behavior, biology, and screening practices influence lung cancer risk and outcomes to help prevent and detect it earlier.
-
Digital health strategies to expand lung cancer screening in safety-net clinics
A funded project aims to help low-resource clinics increase the use of lung cancer screening for patients who smoke or are at risk.
-
Proteomics-guided matching of lung cancer tumors to preclinical models
This grant aims to improve how we match a patient’s lung cancer tumor to the right preclinical models using protein data.
-
Optimizing lung cancer care with smart tools for prevention, early detection, treatment, and survivorship
A U01 grant using AI and biomarkers to improve lung cancer prevention, screening, treatment, and survivorship care for people at risk or living with lung cancer.
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.