UH Researcher Awarded NIH R01 Grant to Advance Precision Immunotherapy for Lung Cancer

A University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa research team led by Youping Deng, PhD, of the UH Cancer Center and John A. Burns School of Medicine, has received a National Institutes of Health R01 grant approximately $3.26 million over five years to address critical unmet needs in lung cancer immunotherapy.

Funded by the National Cancer Institute, the project is titled “Novel Biomarkers for Predicting and Improving Immunotherapy Response in Lung Cancer.” The research will focus on developing more accurate methods to predict which patients will benefit from immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy and identifying new therapeutic strategies to overcome treatment resistance. The project will run from August 1, 2026, through July 31, 2031.

Read the full story on the JABSOM website.

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About the University of Hawaiʻi Cancer Center

The University of Hawaiʻi Cancer Center is dedicated to saving lives in Hawaiʻi and the Pacific, and inspiring hope by working to conquer cancer. The flagship priority is to understand and address cancer health disparities. The center strives to achieve this through research, education, patient care, and community outreach, focusing on the unique and diverse ethnic, cultural, and environmental characteristics of Hawaiʻi and the Pacific.

The UH Cancer Center is one of only 74 institutions designated by the National Cancer Institute (NCI), representing a significant mark of excellence, and is the only NCI-designated cancer center in Hawaiʻi and the Pacific. The center contributes more than $57 million to Hawaiʻi's economy through scientific research, clinical trials, and other activities.

As part of the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, the UH Cancer Center operates out of facilities located in Kakaʻako. The center directly employs more than 300 faculty and staff, with an additional 200 affiliate members and cooperative agreements with organizations that are part of the Hawaiʻi Cancer Consortium. The consortium includes The Queen’s Health Systems, Hawaiʻi Pacific Health, Kuakini Medical Center, Adventist Health Castle, Hawaiʻi Medical Service Association (HMSA), and the John A. Burns School of Medicine (JABSOM), all working together with the UH Cancer Center to advance cancer research and treatment in the state.

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