| Grant ID | RP110129 |
| Awarded On | October 29, 2010 |
| Title | Genetic Engineering of Universal NKT Cells for Cancer Immunotherapy |
| Program | Academic Research |
| Award Mechanism | High Impact/High Risk |
| Institution/Organization | Baylor College of Medicine |
| Principal Investigator/Program Director | Leonid S Metelitsa |
| Cancer Sites | Multiple Sites |
| Contracted Amount | $200,000 |
| Lay Summary |
Natural Killer T cells (NKTs) are a unique subset of white blood cells with anti-tumor properties that have been demonstrated in diverse types of cancer. Our group recently revealed a mechanism of NKT-cell anti-tumor activity by demonstrating that NKTs localize to the tumor site and attack non-malignant cells called tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) which provide critical support for tumor cells and enable tumor growth in many types of cancer. The molecule recognized by NKTs on TAMs is identical in all individuals so that NKTs from unrelated healthy people could be prepared to treat cancer patients if we prevent rejection of these donated NKTs by the patient’s immune system. Using an innov... |