Investigating clonal expansion of pathogenic T cells in idiopathic multicentric Castleman disease
Awardee: David Fajgenbaum
Institution: University of Pennsylvania
Grant Amount: $58,775
Funding Period: February 1, 2025 - January 31, 2026
Summary:
Idiopathic multicentric Castleman disease (iMCD) is a rare and deadly hematologic illness that occurs for an unknown cause. Patients often die due to their immune system becoming hyperactivated and shutting down vital organs. The causes and key immune cell types involved in iMCD are not well understood and this limited understanding has prevented the development of better treatment strategies, resulting in poor overall survival. Our Lab has discovered that a particular cell type called the T cell appears to be highly activated and playing an important role in iMCD. The overall goals of this study are to dissect the mechanisms behind T cell activation in iMCD and determine if changes to these T cells can predict the onset of disease activity.