# Host-Tumor Interactions Research Program

> **NIH NIH P30** · VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER · 2022 · $92,230

## Abstract

PROJECT 003 – HOST-TUMOR INTERACTIONS RESEARCH PROGRAM
PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
The Host-Tumor Interactions Research Program (HT) consists of basic and translational scientists focused on
discovering the interactions between tumor cells and their host and developing strategies to interrupt those
interactions to target and control tumor progression and metastasis. The central premise of HT is that tumor
growth, invasion and metastasis, as well as the tumor's response to therapies, depend on interactions between
cancer, stromal and immune cells with the matrix and factors in the tumor microenvironment. The long-term
scientific goal of HT is to develop a detailed mechanistic understanding of not just the tumor cell, but also all the
components of the tumor microenvironment that influence cancer and the response to cancer therapies. These
interactions are best studied by integrating knowledge and paradigms from many disciplines in addition to basic
science cancer biology, including immunology, single cell analyses, computation and mathematical modeling
and novel imaging strategies. In this renewal, HT has leveraged the strengths of its membership to explicitly
incorporate individuals with immunology, modeling and imaging expertise to rigorously investigate the aims of
HT, which are to:
 1. Identify molecules and mechanisms through which tumors evade the immune system and establish how
 anti-tumor immune responses can be enhanced to eliminate tumors using novel immunotherapies.
 2. Discover cellular and molecular interactions between the tumor microenvironment and tumor cells to
 better understand the complexity of cell populations and stromal interactions in tumors
 3. Utilize and develop new imaging and computational tools based on the molecular and biochemical
 characteristics of cancer cells and tumors
To enable these goals, we will establish dynamic, multi-disciplinary collaborations and educational opportunities
that will accelerate these discoveries and lead to clinical translation. The strong expertise of the Program is
focused on understanding interactions of cancer cells with the host at the cellular, tissue and organism level to
discover basic mechanisms and address the needs of the VICC catchment area while providing training for the
next generation of cancer researchers.
There are 39 program members from 14 departments and four schools with $14.3M in total peer-reviewed
funding and NCI making up 33% ($4.7M). Out of 633 publications, 11% are intra-programmatic and 31% are
inter-programmatic. Members also have 195 collaborative publications with investigators at other NCI-
designated cancer centers.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10488760
- **Project number:** 5P30CA068485-27
- **Recipient organization:** VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER
- **Principal Investigator:** Jeffrey C Rathmell
- **Activity code:** P30 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $92,230
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 1998-09-01 → 2025-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10488760

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10488760, Host-Tumor Interactions Research Program (5P30CA068485-27). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10488760. Licensed CC0.

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