Grant Award Summary

The University of Chicago received a $651,674 Project Grant from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) under the Cancer Treatment Research program (CFDA 93.395), effective June 1, 2026 through May 31, 2031. This award supports the development and preclinical evaluation of a novel radioinducible plug-and-play CAR-T (Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-cell) therapy system designed to improve treatment outcomes in solid tumors. The research combines radiation therapy with gene therapy to address current limitations in CAR-T cell therapy, including poor tumor infiltration and antigen escape mechanisms.

The project deliverables include: (1) development of synthetic radioinducible promoters and optimized CAR-T production protocols validated through in vitro studies; (2) preclinical testing in mouse tumor models (both subcutaneous and orthotopic) to demonstrate radiation-activated cytokine production and enhanced antigen expression using the switchable GA1CAR platform; and (3) mechanistic studies employing xenograft and immunocompetent mouse models to evaluate combination radiation and CAR-T therapy efficacy, with particular focus on preventing tumor antigen loss variant escape and characterizing cellular destruction patterns through longitudinal in vivo imaging. The research aims to establish a transformative therapeutic approach that leverages synergistic effects between radiation and immunotherapy in solid cancers.