# Washington University (WU) ROBIN Center: MicroEnvironment and Tumor Effects Of Radiotherapy (METEOR)

> **NIH NIH U54** · WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY · 2024 · $1,477,250

## Abstract

Project Summary
In addition to direct killing of rapidly proliferating tumor cells, radiation therapy (RT) modifies tumor immunity. RT
increases the expression and release of tumor-associated antigens, induces immunogenic cell death, and
releases danger signals and chemokines that recruit immune cells to the tumor microenvironment (TME). RT
can also enhance tumor killing by increasing the number of tumor-infiltrating immunostimulatory cells and
inducing the expression of neoantigens. However, RT also stimulates the recruitment of other myeloid derived
immune cell subsets that can have tumor permissive phenotypes. The overall balance between these immune
stimulatory and suppressive effects of radiation ultimately predicts whether local tumor treatment with RT
generates an effective and durable systemic anti-tumor immune response. We hypothesize that RT (and in
particular SOC CRT) limits the development of long-term anti-tumor immunity in resistant tumors by
disproportionately increasing the number and tumor permissive phenotypes of myeloid derived cells (MDCs) in
the TME. The Washington University MicroEnvironment Tumor Effects Of Radiotherapy (METEOR)
Center will enable testing of this hypothesis via a dynamic Molecular Characterization Trial with closely
integrated Research Projects, Shared Resource Cores, and Cross Training Core. We will leverage our
institutional expertise in genomics, proteomics, tumor metabolism and immunology to take a “deep dive” into
CRT induced tumor and TME co-evolution. Our overall vision is that immunosuppressive SOC CRT associated
changes in the immune TME can be further targeted to improve systemic anti-tumor immune responses after
RT. Although our preliminary data implicates two immune TME cell types, macrophages and dendritic cells,
our research design is intended to allow for detailed study of CRT related effects on multiple cell types within the
TME. As such, our Center can adapt and incorporate new findings in other cell types during the course of funding
of this grant through pilot projects and data sharing. Importantly, tumor cells and the TME are influenced by the
tissue of origin of the tumor. Thus, it is important to use this approach to study multiple tumor types to establish
what are the common (and tumor specific) mechanisms of CRT related immunosuppression. METEOR will thus
serve as a hub to share this approach with other ROBIN Centers studying different tumor types. Since the
analytic approach through our Shared Resource Cores requires only small biopsies, this will allow other Centers
to send limited specimens to us for analysis. Furthermore, through our Administrative and Cross Training Cores,
we will host faculty and trainees from other ROBIN centers and share with them our resources, educational
materials and approach which will bring added value to the ROBIN network. As a result of this work we will be
well positioned to apply for a future NIH T32 focused on training, disseminating and advancing ...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10912695
- **Project number:** 5U54CA274318-02
- **Recipient organization:** WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Clifford Grant Robinson
- **Activity code:** U54 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $1,477,250
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2023-09-01 → 2028-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10912695

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10912695, Washington University (WU) ROBIN Center: MicroEnvironment and Tumor Effects Of Radiotherapy (METEOR) (5U54CA274318-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-27 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10912695. Licensed CC0.

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