Project description
New technology for predicting immunotherapy outcomes
Immunotherapies are effective ways to activate the immune system against disease, including tumours, but only a small percentage of patients respond positively. Researchers have developed a toolbox for real-time imaging of immune cell activity. Granzyme B, a protein from activated immune cells, is a promising biomarker for monitoring the progression of inflammatory diseases and predicting response to therapy. With this in mind, the ERC-funded FLUOROTRAP project aims to develop simple assays for measuring active granzyme B in cells and biosamples from patients. The project will aim to commercialise fluorescent agents through industry and consolidate new technologies that can measure granzyme B activity in the clinical setting. This technology promises to enhance personalised medicine and improve patient outcomes while facilitating research in immunotherapies.
Objective
Cancer is the second-leading cause of death globally with more than 10 million deaths worldwide in 2020. Immunotherapies can reactivate the immune system against tumors and are promising treatments for many types of cancer; however, only a small fraction of patients that receive immunotherapies show positive responses and it remains unclear what therapy is most suitable for every patient. There is a clear need for rapid, simple and functional assays that can rapidly evaluate the efficacy of anti-cancer immunotherapies to personalize treatment and accelerate precision oncology. This unmet need drives the development of FLUOROTRAP.
The ERC CoG project DYNAFLUORS delivered the first fluorescent chemical toolbox for imaging immune cell activity in real time. During the treatment of cancer patients with immunotherapies, the activity of immune cells is indicative of how patients are responding to therapy. Granzyme B is a protein secreted by activated immune cells, such as T cells and natural killer cells; high enzymatic levels are correlated to strong anti-cancer immunity and therefore this biomarker holds potential to predict immunotherapy outcomes. We propose to develop a simple test to measure active granzyme B in cells and biosamples from cancer patients. This technology will advance personalized and precision oncology to ultimately improve patient outcomes, and it will also enable further research and drug discovery on anti-cancer immunotherapies.
Funding from the ERC PoC will allow us to: 1) commercialize fluorescent reagents for biomedical research through licensing with industry, and 2) establish the foundations for new healthcare technologies to measure granzyme B activity in biosamples from cancer patients during immunotherapy treatment. This project will be guided by input from industrial partners and biomedical experts, and it will create multiple opportunities for cancer research and precision medicine.
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 biochemistry biomolecules proteins
- medical and health sciences clinical medicine oncology
- medical and health sciences basic medicine immunology immunotherapy
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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
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.
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-POC - HORIZON ERC Proof of Concept Grants
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Call for proposal
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Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) ERC-2025-POC
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EH8 9YL Edinburgh
United Kingdom
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