# Exploiting tumor metabolism to optimize T cell therapy

> **NIH NIH R50** · WEILL MEDICAL COLL OF CORNELL UNIV · 2024 · $177,500

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
This proposal seeks Dr. Serganova's salary support as a Research Specialist to support Dr. Roberta
Zappasodi's research program at Weill Cornell Medicine, Department Hematology and Oncology, to study the
role of T-cell responses during immunotherapy in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). DLBCL is the most
common lymphoid neoplasm in adults accounting for ~35% of B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphomas. Despite of
relatively good responses to standard treatments, ~40% of patients develop therapy resistance. DLCBLs are
genetically heterogeneous and are divided on several subtypes. The MCD-DLBCL subtype is the most
clinically aggressive and therapy resistant DLBCL, requiring development of novel therapeutic approaches.
One such approach could involve combination with immunotherapy. However, cancer cells evade immune
destruction and Dr. Serganova is set to understand the molecular mechanisms of this evasion using her
unique experience and expertise in tumor biology, cancer models, and imaging approaches.
During previous studies, Dr. Serganova interests were centered on the development of various imaging
modalities to understand the complexity of tumor biology in cells and tumors in mice. Recently, in the frame of
R50 grant, Dr. Serganova has successfully explored how the modulation of the glycolytic pathway changes the
tumor microenvironment and controls the growth of the primary tumors, metastases development, and anti-
tumor response during the immunotherapy. Preliminary data acquired during this period show that metabolic
deficiencies in tumor cells affect many parameters of the TME, including T cells content and alterations in the
vasculature-immune TME compartment with the impact on the tumor vasculature permeability. These studies
provide the unique foundation to investigate immunotherapy failures through non-invasive monitoring T cell
trafficking, activation and persistence, and understand how interactions between tumor metabolism,
microenvironment, targeted antigen expression, and T cell function contribute to evasion of tumor cells from
immune destruction.
Dr. Serganova is exceptional scientist who has made seminal contributions to the laboratory's research
program, including (1) generation of model systems with specific perturbations of metabolic and immune
pathways, (2) application of clinically relevant experimental settings in animal studies, and (3) development of
advanced imaging technologies. She is
continuity,
Serganova's
immune
filling a unique niche within the tha will provide
 stability, and detailed scientific knowledge to achieve the aims of he NCI-funded grants. Dr.
 long-time expertise and dedication will advance our understanding of the relationship between
system and tumors and will help to develop more effective therapies.
Zappasodi laboratory t
t

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10978685
- **Project number:** 2R50CA221810-07
- **Recipient organization:** WEILL MEDICAL COLL OF CORNELL UNIV
- **Principal Investigator:** Inna Serganova
- **Activity code:** R50 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $177,500
- **Award type:** 2
- **Project period:** 2018-09-05 → 2029-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10978685

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10978685, Exploiting tumor metabolism to optimize T cell therapy (2R50CA221810-07). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10978685. Licensed CC0.

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