# Research Project 1: Nanofibrous Polymer Scaffolds for Immunotherapy to Enhance Efficacy of CAR Therapies for GBM

> **NIH CA P01** · UNIV OF NORTH CAROLINA CHAPEL HILL · 2026 · $374,262

## Abstract

RP1 ABSTRACT
Glioblastoma (GBM), the most common primary brain tumor, is notoriously resistant to current treatments. Its
prognosis is grim, with a median survival of only 12-15 months after standard treatment, which typically involves
surgical resection followed by radiation and chemotherapy. Despite these efforts, GBM often recurs. New
therapeutic approaches are urgently needed. One avenue being explored is immunotherapy, which aims to
harness the body’s immune system to fight cancer. Among these, chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cell therapy
has shown promise. CAR T cells, initially transformative for blood cancers, are now being evaluated for solid
tumors like GBM. In our research proposal, we intend to utilize B7-H3 as a specific target for CAR T cells. B7-
H3 (also known as CD276) belongs to the B7 family and holds significant promise for cancer treatment. Its
overexpression in various tumors, including GBM, makes it an attractive candidate. Dr. Dotti (RP3) has recently
initiated a clinical trial involving B7-H3 CAR T cells for GBM (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT06158139).
Furthermore, due to B7-H3’s consistent overexpression in GBM cells compared to healthy tissue, both in vitro
and in vivo studies demonstrate the potential of CAR T cells to effectively target GBM. To enhance CAR therapy
for GBM, we propose utilizing immunomodulators released through controlled release scaffolds. Notably,
microglia and macrophages are the predominant immune cells infiltrating GBM, and this population expresses
substantial levels of toll-like receptors (TLRs). Further, both TLR and STING agonists have been shown to
enhance CAR T cell activity. Our approach involves evaluating the delivery rate of the TLR7/8 agonist resiquimod
(Resi), TLR 9 agonist CpG, TLR 4 agonist MPLA, or STING agonist cGAMP, which will be administered locally
to the tumor resection cavity. Agonists will be formulated within nanofibrous polymer scaffolds with varying
degradation rates. The goal is to f

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 11263856
- **Project number:** 1P01CA298971-01A1
- **Recipient organization:** UNIV OF NORTH CAROLINA CHAPEL HILL
- **Principal Investigator:** Kristy M Ainslie
- **Activity code:** P01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** CA
- **Fiscal year:** 2026
- **Award amount:** $374,262
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2026-03-05T00:00:00 → 2031-02-28T00:00:00

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/11263856

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 11263856, Research Project 1: Nanofibrous Polymer Scaffolds for Immunotherapy to Enhance Efficacy of CAR Therapies for GBM (1P01CA298971-01A1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-20 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/11263856. Licensed CC0.

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