University of Louisville Receives $11.5 Million NIH Grant to Advance Cancer Immunotherapy Research and Training
Key Insights
The University of Louisville's Center for Cancer Immunology and Immunotherapy received a five-year $11.5 million NIH grant to continue developing immunotherapies that harness patients' immune systems to fight cancer.
The center has successfully doubled its immune-oncology faculty from 10 to 20 members and helped four young researchers secure independent federal funding since its 2020 establishment.
Brown Cancer Center led clinical trials for tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) therapy, which received FDA approval for metastatic melanoma in 2024, with the first commercial patient treated in June 2024.
The University of Louisville's Center for Cancer Immunology and Immunotherapy (CCII) has secured a second five-year, $11.5 million Center of Biomedical Research Excellence (CoBRE) grant from the National Institutes of Health to advance cancer immunotherapy research and training programs. The funding renewal represents continued federal investment in the center's mission to develop therapies that activate patients' immune systems against cancer.
Research Infrastructure and Faculty Growth
Since its establishment in 2020 with an initial $11.5 million CoBRE grant, the CCII has demonstrated significant growth and impact. The center has doubled its immune-oncology faculty from 10 to 20 members and successfully supported four young investigators in obtaining independent federal funding. These researchers include Chuanlin Ding, Qingsheng Li, Corey Watson, and Kavitha Yaddanapudi.
"When we launched this center, our mission was ambitious: to build a vibrant community of scientists who could bridge fundamental immunology with translational and clinical research, ultimately bringing new hope to patients with cancer," said Jun Yan, director of the CCII.
The center houses advanced research equipment in its Functional Immunomics Core facility, including a Helios CyTOF instrument and Hyperion Imaging Mass Cytometry. To date, investigators within the program have secured approximately $33 million in research grants made possible by the core infrastructure.
Clinical Translation Success
The CCII's research has translated into significant clinical advances through its partnership with UofL Health – Brown Cancer Center. The center has been a leader in tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) therapy development, conducting clinical trials since 2016 that ultimately led to FDA approval of the cellular therapy for metastatic melanoma in 2024.
"We started offering TILs in clinical trials back in 2016. We have seen many patients who were told elsewhere that they had no other options, but they've come to us, and their lives have been extended for years," said Jason Chesney, director of Brown Cancer Center and UofL professor of medicine.
Julie Reynolds, a 69-year-old retired teacher from Indiana, became the first patient treated with commercial TILs for metastatic melanoma following FDA approval in February 2024. She received treatment at Brown Cancer Center in June 2024 and remains alive and well.
"The clinical trials of TILs that were conducted by Dr. Chesney at UofL Health – Brown Cancer Center led to the FDA approval of TILs last year which in turn led to me being alive so that I can enjoy spending more time with my family," Reynolds said.
Training and Development Programs
A key component of the CoBRE program focuses on training the next generation of cancer immunotherapy researchers. The center provides project grants and mentoring by senior investigators for young scientists. All four investigators who led projects under the first funding round have now obtained major federal funding of their own.
Current junior investigators receiving support include Sharmila Nair, Jian Zheng, and Joseph Chen. Kavitha Yaddanapudi, who was a first-round project leader, now serves as a mentor for other young investigators while continuing her translational research on immune checkpoint inhibitor resistance in lung cancer patients.
Future Research Directions
As part of its next phase, the CCII plans to add a tumor organoid fragment culture platform that uses human tumor specimens and mimics the human body environment for more precise testing. This addition will enhance the center's capacity for translational research and drug development.
"This grant highlights the advantage of academic health care. We are able to leverage life-changing research from the University of Louisville and elsewhere, and put it to work to save and improve the lives of our patients," said Jason Smith, chief executive officer of UofL Health.
The renewed funding underscores the center's role in addressing cancer, which remains one of the greatest health concerns in the United States, while training researchers and developing innovative immunotherapies that benefit patients in Kentucky and beyond.