The Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation is excited to announce its latest research grant recipients, awarding a total of $300,000. This brings the Foundation’s total funding for mesothelioma research to $11.8 million, thanks to generous donations. If you’d like to support this vital research, please visit https://www.curemeso.org/donate.
Our grant program involves a rigorous double peer review process. Each proposal is evaluated by leading mesothelioma experts on our Science Advisory Board. The review process also includes feedback from a panel of mesothelioma community reviewers.
In the most recent cycle, we received 34 letters of intent, invited 12 to submit full proposals, and funded three projects:
Dr. Astero Klampatsa of The Institute of Cancer Research and Dr. Philipp Rommel of University of Pennsylvania, have received funding as co-investigators for their project titled” CAR-T Cells Armed with Anti-TFG-β Payloads for the Treatment of Mesothelioma” Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cell immunotherapy uses patient’s own immune cells, called T cells, to detect and destroy cancer. The success of this therapy has led to the FDA approval of CAR-T cell treatments for blood cancers. However, expanding CAR-T cell immunotherapy to solid cancers, such as mesothelioma, has yielded disappointing results so far. This is due in part to mechanisms that solid cancers use such as immunosuppression to defend themselves, making the CAR-T cells function less well. Drs. Klampatsa and Rommel study is attempting to improve CAR-T cell immunotherapy performance by decreasing the transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β). This is a protein that is made by mesothelioma cells to protect them against T cells, including CAR-T cells. They believe that if the amount of this protein that exists within the mesothelioma tumor, is eliminated or decreased, it will help CAR-T cells work better and will assist other T cells that within the mesothelioma environment work better too, resulting in a better treatment outcome overall.
Dr Alexander Subtelny of Brigham Women’s Hospital received funding for his project titled “Increased Amino Acid Demand as a Target Vulnerability of BAP1 Deficient Mesothelioma”. BAP1 is the most commonly mutated gene in mesothelioma. Dr Subtelny’ s work has discovered a potential weakness in BAP1-deficient mesothelioma cells: they have an increased need for amino acids. This weakness could be targeted with therapies that interfere with amino acid metabolism. These therapies are agents that either deplete amino acids, block their uptake, or inhibit key metabolic processes. Agents like asparaginase and arginine deiminase, which reduce amino acids, and JPH203, which blocks amino acid transport, have shown promise in clinical trials or are already in clinical use. If through this research, an agent is proven effective in lab tests on BAP1-deficient cells it can potentially advance to human clinical trials with the potential of new treatment options for mesothelioma.
Dr Samuel Armato of the University of Chicago received funding for his project ”AI for the volumetric and histologic assessment of mesothelioma.” Dr. Armato and his team note that MRI can differentiate mesothelioma types, but it’s not widely used due to complexity and insurance issues. They are developing an AI tool using CT scans to make histologic assessment more accessible and comprehensive, overcoming the limitations of needle biopsies. This research will advance imaging biomarkers, as seen in other cancers. This AI tool will provide accurate tumor volume measurements, aiding drug development and treatment. Overall, this technology aims to improve mesothelioma care by enhancing imaging and treatment strategies.
Congratulations to all of our grant recipients on their promising new studies.
