Description

This grant supports breakthrough translational research focused on developing and advancing innovative cell and gene therapy strategies to address the major challenges in treating solid tumor cancers. The program seeks projects that tackle antigen heterogeneity, physical exclusion, immunosuppressive microenvironments, genomic instability, and safety limitations. Proposals may span a range of platforms, including engineered T cell therapies (e.g., CAR-T, TCR-T, TIL), innate and alternative immune cell platforms (e.g., CAR-NK, γδ T cells, macrophage-based approaches), gene editing and synthetic biology strategies (e.g., CRISPR, synthetic circuits), microenvironment-modulating strategies, and rational combinatorial approaches with other immunotherapies. Integrative approaches that address trafficking, suppression, antigen escape, and safety in a coordinated, clinically translatable manner are strongly encouraged.