Objective
Immune cells, particularly cytotoxic T lymphocytes, are highly motile capable of infiltrating and eliminating tumors—a feature driving the recent revolution of immunotherapies. Yet a common barrier is the failure of T cells to infiltrate tumors, with local peritumoral and perivascular arrest as a key hurdle. Efforts to overcome this, such as decades of targeting of major tumor-supportive cytokines have yielded limited breakthroughs. A likely reason is methodological bias: most studies profile bulk tissues at single endpoints, detecting only sustained, widespread signals while overlooking the transient, localized interactions that may drive T-cell arrest.
I propose to develop spatially and temporally resolved transcriptomic technology to map immune cell interactions and behavior over time, and apply it to study immune dysfunction in glioblastoma (GBM), a lethal brain tumor. I recently developed Zman-seq, the first in vivo single-cell method to capture immune cell state transitions over time and their driving signals. Zman-seq revealed that immune reprogramming occurs rapidly within just a day after infiltration. To resolve the early local interactions driving this, we will combine spatial data with Zman-seq, and measure T-cell motility as a functional readout. First, to pinpoint the early niches, I will combine Zman-seq timestamps with spatial transcriptomics and describe how immune cells occupy cellular niches over time. Next, to study T-cell behavior within these niches, I will directly visualize T-cell motility via intravital microscopy and register in vivo tracks to ex vivo spatial transcriptomics, creating a new approach—VideoTranscriptomics. Applied in a GBM model, this will reveal the sequence of niches immune cells traverse, and pinpoint early, targetable checkpoints that drive T-cell arrest and immunotherapy resistance.
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.
This project has not yet been classified with EuroSciVoc.
Be the first one to suggest relevant scientific fields and help us improve our classification service
You need to log in or register to use this function
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.
-
HORIZON.1.1 - European Research Council (ERC)
MAIN PROGRAMME
See all projects funded under this programme
Topic(s)
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.
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 - HORIZON ERC Grants
See all projects funded under this funding scheme
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-2026-STG
See all projects funded under this callHost institution
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.
69120 Heidelberg
Germany
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.