Award
National Cancer Institute 1R21CA299372-01A1
Improving NK cell engineering to target AML
Recipient
Johns Hopkins University
Award Amount
$218,089.00
Ceiling
$218,089.00
Awarded
July 27, 2026
Identifier
1R21CA299372-01A1
This award funds research to develop engineered natural killer cells targeting acute myeloid leukemia, aiming to enhance their anti-tumor activity and overcome inhibitory signals for clinical application.
Description
The project aims to develop and study engineered natural killer (NK) cell therapy as a treatment for acute myeloid leukemia (AML). It involves testing chimeric cytokine receptor (CCR)-NK cells targeted to AML-associated surface antigens in cellular and animal models, with a focus on reversing AML-mediated NK cell inhibition. The study will evaluate the function and phenotype of engineered CCR-NK cells, including their ability to retain activation and cytotoxicity, and the impact of PVR-like receptor blockade or deletion. The goal is to generate data to inform the best engineered NK cell product for clinical translation, addressing a challenging cancer affecting diverse patient populations.