Description du projet
Apprendre au système immunitaire à reconnaître les pièges du cancer
L’immunothérapie est un domaine du traitement du cancer en pleine expansion qui vise à «réveiller» le système immunitaire pour combattre le cancer. L’objectif du projet I-DireCT, financé par l’UE, est de former de jeunes chercheurs afin qu’ils développent de nouvelles idées pour la prochaine génération d’immunothérapies. Les chercheurs recevront une formation pluridisciplinaire en sciences biomédicales et physiques ainsi qu’en recherche et développement de médicaments. L’un des objectifs du projet est de générer des systèmes d’administration capables de libérer la substance thérapeutique active uniquement sur le site de la tumeur, minimisant ainsi les effets secondaires. En outre, le projet fera progresser les anticorps et cytokines d’immunothérapie existants afin de stimuler de manière synergique l’immunité des lymphocytes T contre le cancer.
Objectif
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.
Champ scientifique
Mots‑clés
Programme(s)
Régime de financement
MSCA-ITN - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Innovative Training Networks (ITN)Coordinateur
9713 GZ Groningen
Pays-Bas