# Transplanting Unique Human Microbiomes to Improve Immunotherapy in Glioblastoma

> **NIH NIH R21** · UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA AT BIRMINGHAM · 2021 · $415,031

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
 Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) have been successful in treating some, but not all, patients with
melanoma brain metastases (MBM). Disappointingly, the same immunotherapy has largely been ineffective for
the treatment of patients with glioblastoma (GBM). However, recent studies in animal models and humans have
suggested that the microbe composition of the gut can positively influence the effectiveness of ICI. Our central
hypothesis is that the manipulation of the GBM patient’s microbiota can improve the poor responsiveness to ICI.
In the current study, we propose to compare the gut microbe composition of GBM patients to those patients with
MBM that have responded favorably to ICI (Aim 1). Using cryopreserved fecal samples from these patients, we
will create animals with these human microbiomes to test whether the microbe composition will enhance ICI
when the animals are challenged with GBM (Aim 2). The development and use of the humanized animal models
in this proposal will establish the role of the human microbiome in the action of immunotherapy. Ultimately, the
elucidation as to whether certain microbial communities can enhance the effectiveness of immunotherapy will
lead to the development of new approaches that include modification or transplantation of these microbe
communities in patients for increased therapeutic impact.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10216471
- **Project number:** 1R21CA252634-01A1
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA AT BIRMINGHAM
- **Principal Investigator:** Kathleen M. Egan
- **Activity code:** R21 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $415,031
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2021-04-05 → 2024-03-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10216471

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10216471, Transplanting Unique Human Microbiomes to Improve Immunotherapy in Glioblastoma (1R21CA252634-01A1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-26 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10216471. Licensed CC0.

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