# Innate immune sensors, inflammasomes, and inflammasome-mediated processes in cancer

> **NIH NIH R35** · ST. JUDE CHILDREN'S RESEARCH HOSPITAL · 2024 · $1,023,150

## Abstract

ABSTRACT
Innate immune sensors and inflammasomes drive an immune response, primarily providing protection against
microbial infections and mediating control over sterile insults. However, aberrant innate immune signaling is
associated with the pathogenesis of several inflammatory and metabolic diseases, neurodegeneration, and
cancer. In the United States, colorectal cancer is the second most common cause of cancer deaths. Innate
immunity is a major player in the colon, and thus understanding how innate immune pathways contribute to the
various stages of tumor development will be key to improving cancer treatment strategies. We have an extensive
track record of discoveries related to innate immune sensors and their role in colitis-associated colorectal cancer.
We now seek to continue and expand this research program. The primary focus of this application is to unravel
the key mechanisms of novel innate immune sensors and inflammasome regulators discovered in our lab
recently and their crosstalk with cell death regulators in the development of colorectal cancer. Basic science
supporting this area of research is critical to understanding the fundamentals of innate immune responses. This
understanding lays the foundation to explain how defects in these sensing systems lead to the development of
disease in humans. Moreover, as the molecules we are studying are central drug targets, our studies will be
translated into the development of new therapeutics to treat several devastating diseases.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10896912
- **Project number:** 5R35CA253095-05
- **Recipient organization:** ST. JUDE CHILDREN'S RESEARCH HOSPITAL
- **Principal Investigator:** Thirumala-Devi Kanneganti
- **Activity code:** R35 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $1,023,150
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2020-07-21 → 2027-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10896912

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10896912, Innate immune sensors, inflammasomes, and inflammasome-mediated processes in cancer (5R35CA253095-05). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10896912. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*