USC Project Secured Funding to Analyze CAR T Cells
Researchers will use specialized nanovials to determine why some cell therapies fail to persist in patients.
Updated on Oct. 14, 2026 in Biotech
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The California Institute for Regenerative Medicine awarded $2.5 million to a USC-led team to study CAR T cell potency. The research project, which utilizes Partillion Bioscience Nanovial technology, aims to map cell-to-cell interactions.
Why it matters
Standard clinical measurements often fail to reveal why individual CAR T cells exhibit varying levels of functional success. Researchers are now attempting to create a comprehensive cell atlas to improve the consistency of future cell therapies.
The study integrates high-dimensional flow cytometry—a laser-based technology used to count and sort microscopic particles—with Nanovial-based Cell-Cell-seq. This setup allows researchers to correlate specific gene expression changes with direct immune and tumor cell interaction data.
The players
Mohamed Abou-el-Enein
The USC researcher leading the project to map the potency of CAR T cell therapies.
Partillion Bioscience
A biotech firm providing the Nanovial-based single-cell analysis technology used for the project.
California Institute for Regenerative Medicine
A state-funded agency that supports stem cell research and regenerative medicine through grants.
USC Keck School of Medicine
The academic institution serving as the lead research site for the CAR T cell study.
Loma Linda University
The location of the Community Care Center of Excellence where patient-derived samples are collected.
The details
Researchers use Nanovials, which are microscopic containers designed to isolate and track individual cells, to observe interactions that were previously difficult to measure. By combining these with Cell-Cell-seq, the team can link real-time physical interactions between immune and tumor cells to downstream genetic activity. This research-stage approach specifically targets the functional differences between cells to understand potency and persistence in patient-derived samples.
Timeline
October 14, 2026: Partillion Bioscience announced its participation in the USC-led research project.
The Tech Race
This project follows a pattern of CIRM-funded initiatives aimed at advancing the clinical durability of next-generation immune cell therapies. It seeks to close the gap between current laboratory screening methods and the real-world performance of CAR T cells in oncology patients.
This development is currently in the research phase and does not yet affect clinical patient care or available treatment protocols. The resulting data will eventually inform the development of more consistent cell therapies for patients managed at centers like the Community Care Center of Excellence.
The takeaway
The research aims to establish a definitive atlas of CAR T cell potency to help stabilize the efficacy of immunotherapy. Interested parties should monitor subsequent publications from the USC Keck School of Medicine for initial findings on how cell-to-cell interaction data influences therapy persistence.
Further reading
For broader trends in cell therapy and laboratory instrumentation, see our recent analysis in Biotech.
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Should government agencies prioritize funding for research into experimental cell-based cancer therapies?
