2022 Lung Cancer Research Foundation Pilot Grant
Bingnan Zhang, MD
University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center
Research Project:
Harnessing DLL3 as a CAR T target in small cell lung cancer
Summary:
Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is a highly aggressive type of lung cancer with limited therapeutic options. Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy a “living”, personalized drug, that modifies a patient’s own immune cells to target and kill cancer cells. Dr. Zhang and her team have developed a novel CAR T against a SCLC surface protein target DLL3. In this project, Dr. Zhang and her team will investigate the efficacy of the DLL3 CAR T and its potential resistance mechanisms in patient-derived mouse models. The goal of this research is to ultimately inform the design of clinical trials using DLL3 CAR T and its combination approaches to benefit patients with SCLC.