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Getting the latest healthcare news for you
A UNC researcher just scored a rare $700,000 grant to study why immune cells lose their cancer-fighting power. Dr. Jessica Thaxton will investigate how the endoplasmic reticulum — a key organelle inside cells — affects T-cell metabolism in tumors. The goal: find ways to "recharge" immune cells so they can better destroy cancer.
A UNC researcher just scored a rare $700,000 grant to study why immune cells lose their cancer-fighting power. Dr. Jessica Thaxton, associate professor at UNC School of Medicine and co-leader of the Cancer Cell Biology Research Program at UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, received the prestigious award from the G. Harold & Leila Y. Mathers Foundation — the first such grant given to a UNC-Chapel Hill faculty member in 20 years.
Her project, "Endoplasmic Reticulum Architecture as a Determinant of T-Cell Metabolism in Cancer," builds on her earlier finding that the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) — a cellular structure involved in protein processing and stress response — becomes dysfunctional in T cells battling tumors. Thaxton will explore whether reshaping the ER's structure can restore T-cell energy and function, potentially opening new doors in cancer immunotherapy.
By the Numbers:
Why it matters: While scientists have long studied how tumors suppress immune responses, far less is known about how the internal architecture of immune cells affects their ability to fight cancer. Thaxton's work could reveal new targets for boosting T-cell performance in the tumor microenvironment — a critical frontier in next-generation cancer treatment.
