Project description
A closer look at the potential of dendritic cells for immunotherapies
Effective T cell responses are vital for the success of vaccinations and cancer immunotherapy. Conventional dendritic cells (cDCs) play a crucial role in activating T cells, yet their diverse functions are not fully understood. Previous attempts to target cDCs therapeutically have been limited, possibly due to a lack of specificity in targeting the right cell subsets. In this context, the ERC-funded cDCFun project seeks to address this by revealing the functional properties of various cDC lineages in type 1 and type 2 immunity, aiming to improve vaccine and immunotherapy strategies through a deeper understanding of cDC subset roles and interactions. Overall, the findings will enhance vaccine and immunotherapy design, potentially transforming treatment approaches.
Objective
Effective T cell responses are critical for the efficacy of vaccination and cancer immunotherapy; therefore, the manipulation of conventional dendritic cells (cDCs) offers great potential for improved therapies as these cells play a key role in the activation and regulation of T cell function. However, cDCs are a diverse group of cells whose function is incompletely understood. Previous attempts at targeting cDCs therapeutically have been underwhelming perhaps as a result of not targeting the right cell subset specifically. The goal of this proposal therefore is to reveal the functional properties of the different cDC lineages during type 1 and type 2 immunity and to understand how the ecology of cDC subsets is regulated to meet the functional demands of tissues undergoing different types of inflammation. I propose that studying the cDC subsets that enhance cytotoxic T cell responses against viruses in type 1 immunity and those that enhance parasite clearance and tissue repair in type 2 immunity against nematodes will help to identify those cDC subsets that need to be either triggered or inhibited to improve tumour control. Therefore, we will use well-defined models of type 1 and type 2 immunity to reveal the diversity of these cells during inflammation. Furthermore, we will generate new mouse models to target cDCs subsets specifically to study their functional properties and to reveal how these functional properties are instructed. In this regard, we will address how subset specification is regulated distally, by a novel inter-organ communication axis (lung-bone marrow) that could tune the host immune system to ever-evolving challenges. Finally, as a proof of concept, we will use transplantable and orthotopic cancer models to unravel beneficial and detrimental cDC subsets in the immune response against cancer. cDCFun will open new avenues for the design of better vaccines and immunotherapies that harness the functional properties of specific subsets of cDCs.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- natural sciences biological sciences microbiology virology
- natural sciences biological sciences ecology
- medical and health sciences basic medicine pharmacology and pharmacy pharmaceutical drugs vaccines
- medical and health sciences clinical medicine oncology
- medical and health sciences basic medicine immunology immunotherapy
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Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.1.1 - European Research Council (ERC)
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Topic(s)
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Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
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Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-ERC - HORIZON ERC Grants
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) ERC-2023-STG
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
1400-038 LISBOA
Portugal
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