Project description
Immunotherapy for a rare adolescence cancer
Chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapy is a revolutionary form of immunotherapy that involves the genetic modification of a patient's own T-cells to target and destroy cancer cells. It has shown remarkable success in treating certain types of cancer, particularly blood cancers like leukemia and lymphoma. The EU-funded DSRCT-CAR project aims to develop CAR-T therapy against desmoplastic small round cell tumour (DSRCT), a rare and aggressive sarcoma that mainly affects adolescents and young adults. Researchers aim to address the limited success of chemotherapy and surgery in the treatment of DSRCT and improve the clinical outcome of patients.
Objective
Desmoplastic small round cell tumor (DSRCT) is an aggressive rare sarcoma that occurs in adolescents and young adults. DSRCT has a dismal prognosis: despite aggressive therapy, 3-year overall survival has been estimated at 44% and the 5-year survival rate remains around 15%. Current therapeutic approaches, including chemotherapy (remain highly toxic) and surgery, are yet to achieve complete disease control. The development of safe and efficient molecularly targeted-therapies, as well as a comprehensive understanding of the molecular driver of the disease, are highly needed to ultimately improve patient outcome.
The originality of this proposal relies on intersecting complementary scientific areas, as the high level of maturity I have acquired both on the molecular basis of DSRCT and on the corresponding cellular and animal models, and a novel form of immunotherapy, as CAR-T cells (which the host group is actively working on), for the treatment of DSRCT. It will be carried out under the guidance of Prof. Moreira from CNC/UC, who holds more than 25 years of experience in the field of targeted delivery to solid tumors and successful entrepreneur.
This Fellowship, in line with Europe Mission on Cancer, is a life time opportunity that will enable me to become a highly qualified researcher, with differentiated background (combining – existing - molecular cancer pharmacology with targeting strategies to solid tumors) and novel transferable skills, among the post-doc universe entering the job market. It will enable me to generate and integrate interdisciplinary knowledge with added economic value, with know-how on how to translate it towards the market and the patients. Overall, these are relevant features to support the sustainability of any organization. As such, approval of this Marie Sklodowska-Curie European Fellowship will give me a wide avenue of opportunities to further pursue a career either in Academia or Pharmaceutical Industry.
Fields of science
Programme(s)
Funding Scheme
HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-PF-EF - HORIZON TMA MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships - European FellowshipsCoordinator
3004-531 Coimbra
Portugal