# Center for Multiparametric Imaging of Tumor Immune Microenvironments

> **NIH NIH U54** · UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA · 2022 · $1,309,112

## Abstract

This project proposes an integrated suite of microscopy and data analysis advances that would enable
quantitative, mechanistic analysis of immune-microenvironment dynamics in poor prognosis solid tumors.
While immunotherapies are showing remarkable clinical responses in some advanced cancers, to date, their
impact on many solid tumors has been modest. This is due, in part, to solid tumor microenvironments limiting
the effectiveness of natural immune responses and immunotherapies. Yet, our understanding of the physical
and molecular mechanisms governing T cell infiltration, distribution, and function in native tumor
microenvironments remains extremely limited. As such, defining key T cell behaviors as a function of complex
tumor microenvironments will identify design criteria that can be used to develop novel cell engineering
strategies that optimize T cell-centric therapies for solid tumors. To this end the research theme of the U54
Center for Multiparametric Imaging of Tumor Immune Microenvironments (C-MITIE) is to define physical and
molecular barriers to effective anti-tumor immunity and immunotherapies through advancement and
development of state-of-the-art live cell and tissue optical imaging platforms and quantitative analyses. To
achieve our goals, our framework brings together advanced optical imaging platforms, nano- and micro-
fabrication, genome engineering, cancer immunology, and biophysical modeling. Thus, from this integrated
effort we seek to define mechanisms of immune suppression that guide the development of next-generation
cell-based immunotherapies.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10374450
- **Project number:** 1U54CA268069-01
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA
- **Principal Investigator:** Kevin William Eliceiri
- **Activity code:** U54 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $1,309,112
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2021-12-09 → 2026-11-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10374450

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10374450, Center for Multiparametric Imaging of Tumor Immune Microenvironments (1U54CA268069-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10374450. Licensed CC0.

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