The National Cancer Institute (NCI), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), awarded a $227,906 Project Grant (CFDA 93.395 - Cancer Treatment Research) to The Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania, doing business as Clinical Practices of the University of Pennsylvania. This 2-year grant will fund research to characterize the antitumor effects and immune-modulating properties of the FDA-approved drug Photofrin and other heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) inducing agents in preclinical models of malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM). The research aims to provide insights on the potential therapeutic application of Photofrin, 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA), and other HO-1 inducers, alone and in combination with immune checkpoint blockade, for MPM treatment. Transcriptomic analyses will be utilized to elucidate the mechanisms by which HO-1 inducers modulate antitumor immunity. The findings from this grant are expected to fill important knowledge gaps and lay the foundation for future clinical translation of these therapeutic approaches for MPM.