A synthetic biology approach to engineering exhaustion-free T cell therapies. Uncovering and counteracting biomechanical triggers of T cell dysfunction in the tumour microenvironment.

Project description

Towards more sophisticated anti-cancer therapies

Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells have emerged as powerful anti-cancer weapons, demonstrating great clinical efficacy against haematological malignancies. However, prolonged antigen stimulation has hampered their effectiveness against solid tumours. The EU-funded Tex-Mex project will investigate the biomechanical triggers of the tumour microenvironment on prolonged T cell stimulation and dysfunction. Researchers will employ a microfluidic model that recapitulates all known parameters of T cell exhaustion and add a biomechanical dimension. Results will help address the bottleneck of CAR-T therapy associated with T cell exhaustion and advance it to a universal anti-cancer therapy.

Fields of science

• natural sciences › biological sciences › synthetic biology
• medical and health sciences › clinical medicine › oncology
• medical and health sciences › medical biotechnology › cells technologies

Programme(s)

• H2020-EU.1.3. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Main Programme
• H2020-EU.1.3.2. - Nurturing excellence by means of cross-border and cross-sector mobility

Topic(s)

• MSCA-IF-2020 - Individual Fellowships

Call for proposal

H2020-MSCA-IF-2020

See other projects for this call

Funding Scheme

MSCA-IF-EF-CAR - CAR – Career Restart panel

Coordinator

FONDAZIONE ISTITUTO ITALIANO DI TECNOLOGIA

Net EU contribution

€ 171 473,28

Address

Via Morego 30
16163 Genova
Italy

Region

Nord-Ovest › Liguria › Genova

Activity type

Research Organisations

Links

Non-EU contribution

€ 0,00