# Cancer Immunology

> **NIH NIH P30** · ICAHN SCHOOL OF MEDICINE AT MOUNT SINAI · 2024 · $26,344

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT – CANCER IMMUNOLOGY (CI) PROGRAM
The Cancer Immunology (CI) Program of The Tisch Cancer Institute (TCI) is comprised of 30 members who
share a common goal to investigate the premise that immune-mediated dysregulation adversely impacts the
TME. They represent 15 Departments and 7 Institutes. As of February 2019, CI program members were
awarded $8.8 million in direct cost funding, with NCI support of $2.5 million and peer-reviewed cancer related
support of $5 million. In 2018, the program published 72 papers of which 30% were intra- and 18% were inter-
programmatic.
The major scientific themes of the CI program are to investigate: 1. Immune dysregulation in the Tumor
Microenvironment (TME); 2. Develop models to reverse immune dysfunction and restore immune balance; and
3. Validate correlates of response in cancer patients receiving immunotherapy. Cancer progression is
characterized by gradual dysregulation of the immune system at multiple levels that directly contributes to
unchecked tumor growth. While the role of T cell dysfunction is well acknowledged, evidence is accumulating
that the innate immune system is analogously hijacked to enable tumor growth. In this regard, CI Program
members are focused on identifying new mechanisms whereby the tumor microenvironment (TME) impacts the
function of innate immune cells including macrophages, dendritic cells and NK cells, in addition to tumor-reactive
T cells.
Accordingly, the CI program has three main scientific goals. The first is to identify genomic, molecular and
cellular pathways underlying immune dysfunction in the TME. CI members use preclinical model systems,
CRISPR screens and human tumor lesions, to identify novel mechanisms/targets underlying immune
dysregulation and prioritize targets of immunotherapy resistance/response ultimately tested in novel clinical
trials. Second, CI members strive to develop scientifically based strategies that will improve and/or expand
current immunotherapeutic platforms, and identify immune biomarkers of risk and response to treatment. The
overarching goal is to progress discoveries that are made into innovative clinical trials to test and validate
proposed correlates of resistance and response. A third goal is to develop novel clinically applicable immune
targets to effectively control or eradicate cancers. CI members work in partnership and inter-programmatically
to validate correlates of resistance to immunotherapy.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10898792
- **Project number:** 5P30CA196521-10
- **Recipient organization:** ICAHN SCHOOL OF MEDICINE AT MOUNT SINAI
- **Principal Investigator:** Nina Bhardwaj
- **Activity code:** P30 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $26,344
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2015-08-01 → 2025-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10898792

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10898792, Cancer Immunology (5P30CA196521-10). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10898792. Licensed CC0.

---

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