EN_ACTI2NG · European Network on Anti-Cancer Immuno-Therapy Improvement by modification of CAR and TCR Interactions and Nanoscale Geometry

European Network on Anti-Cancer Immuno-Therapy Improvement by modification of CAR and TCR Interactions and Nanoscale Geometry

Cancer is one of the main causes of death within Europe. Given the aging of the population it can be expected that the number of Europeans suffering cancer will increase in the coming years. It is therefore important to develop and optimize anti-cancer therapies. Recently, immunotherapy against cancer, based on using a patient’s own immune system to eradicate cancers, was introduced into the clinic. This approach has provided a qualitative change in the treatment of various cancers, leading to long term survival of patients whose life expectancy with more traditional therapies (radio- and chemotherapy) was much more limited. This therapy is still at its very early stages of development and needs to be optimized to reduce side effects and be expanded to more types of tumors. Europe is lagging as compared to the USA and China in the development of these therapeutic approaches, thereby missing out on important clinical and economic opportunities. The EN-ACTI2NG network (European Network on Anti-Cancer ImmunoTherapy Improvement by Modification of CAR and TCR Interactions and Nanoscale Geometry) trains 10 early stage researchers (ESRs) in the development of immunotherapy approaches centered on genetic modification of the patient’s white blood cells with receptors that can recognize the tumors. Scientific projects are aimed at 1) understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying the function of these receptors, in order to develop more rational ways of designing such receptors, 2) optimizing function by defining new formats and altering interaction modes of these receptors and 3) to isolate receptors recognizing new targets on the tumor cells, thereby expanding the clinical reach of this therapy. Via additional training in research techniques, career planning and communication skills and by performing secondments with research groups and companies that have complementary approaches the early stage researchers should receive a multidisciplinary education that should allow them to embark on a successful professional career in development or implementation of immunotherapy. The scientific achievements at the end of this project include the development of new formats of cancer-specific immune receptors that have shown improved response to tumors in pre-clinical models of cancer immunotherapy, isolation and characterization of new immune receptors specific for certain types of leukemia, and new tools and findings that help us understand how these cancer-specific immune receptors work. The 10 ESRs have completed their scientific and complementary training program and will prepare and defend their PhD dissertation over the course of the next two years, providing them with a solid education and preparedness to further academic, industrial or regulatory careers in cancer immunotherapy or related research areas. As a matter of fact, the first ESR to graduate this spring will join a recently founded cancer immunotherapy company to head a R&D laboratory on CAR-T cell development.

Текст от CORDIS, на английски · Данни: CORDIS, © Европейски съюз