Award

Developing macrophage reprogramming mRNA nanocarriers for initial clinical testing

Description: Project Narrative It is of key interest in cancer research to create ways to reprogram tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) from a pro-tumor (M2-like) to an anti-tumor (M1-like) phenotype and thereby induce immune effects that can bring about tumor regression. However, at present, there are no methods that can enable physicians to rationally and selectively reprogram TAMs for therapeutic purposes. In this proposal, we are optimizing an off- the-shelf nanodrug that carries in vitro-transcribed mRNA to genetically reprogram immunosuppressive macrophages (M2-like TAMs) to express tumor-clearing (M1-like) phenotypes as a new approach to treat otherwise incurable ovarian cancer and, ultimately, other types of malignancies as well.

Funder: National Cancer Institute

Funding type: research

Funder scheme: R01

Start date: 2021-08-01

End date: 2025-07-31

Investigator: MATTHIAS STEPHAN

Institution: FRED HUTCHINSON CANCER CENTER

Topic: Immune cells in cancer

Subfield: Immunology

Field: Immunology and Microbiology

Domain: Life Sciences

Funded outputs count: 3