Descripción del proyecto
Enseñar al sistema inmunitario a reconocer los trucos del cáncer
La inmunoterapia es un campo de tratamiento del cáncer en rápida expansión cuyo objetivo es «despertar» al sistema inmunitario para que luche contra el cáncer. El proyecto I-DireCT, financiado con fondos europeos, tiene por objeto formar a jóvenes investigadores para que desarrollen ideas novedosas de cara a la próxima generación de inmunoterapias. Los investigadores recibirán una formación multidisciplinaria en ciencias biomédicas y físicas, así como en investigación y desarrollo de medicamentos. Uno de los objetivos del proyecto es generar sistemas de administración capaces de liberar el activo terapéutico únicamente en el lugar del tumor, para minimizar, de esa forma, los efectos secundarios. Además, el proyecto logrará avances relacionados con los anticuerpos y citocinas de inmunoterapia existentes para estimular sinérgicamente la inmunidad de los linfocitos T contra el cáncer.
Objetivo
I-DireCT is a European Industrial Doctorate (EID) training network designed to provide training and carry out breakthrough research on the rapidly expanding and high impact field of cancer immunotherapy in a carefully integrated academic and inter-sectoral programme. Hereby, we aim to develop next-generation immunotherapeutics and deliver a set of early stage researchers uniquely qualified for a career in academia and/or industry.
Current immunomodulatory antibodies that target pivotal immune checkpoints have revolutionized the field of oncology. However, off-tumor activity limits their application. The objective of I-Direct is to address this issue by 1. developing innovative bispecific antibodies and immunocytokines with tumor-restricted immunostimulatory effects and 2. developing optimized delivery systems to ensure optimal timed release of bio-active drug. Hereto, I-DireCT combines state-of-the-art industrial design of nanotech-based drug formulations with innovative academic and industrial immunotherapeutic concepts into the next-generation of cancer immunotherapeutics.
At the core of I-DireCT is its training objective to offer a cutting-edge multidisciplinary training programme that will enable outstanding young scientists to generate breakthrough ideas and assume leading positions in academia and industry. This training programme includes an array of disciplines, ranging from biomedical sciences (e.g. immunology, antibody engineering) and physical sciences (e.g. chemistry, material science) to drug design & development.
Industrial partners are central to the programme and provide pivotal inter-sectoral expertise on how to translate scientific discoveries into commercial reality, with each ESR being appointed at an inter-sectoral partner for 18 months, as well as through additional secondments. Further, I-Direct will enable long-term multi-disciplinary research and fosters bilateral co-operations between academia and industry.
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MSCA-ITN - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Innovative Training Networks (ITN)Coordinador
9713 GZ Groningen
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