Descrizione del progetto
Addestrare il sistema immunitario al riconoscimento dei segnali tumorali
L’immunoterapia è un campo in rapida espansione nell’ambito del trattamento antitumorale che si prefigge di «risvegliare» il sistema immunitario allo scopo di combattere il cancro. L’obiettivo del progetto I-DireCT, finanziato dall’UE, è quello di formare giovani ricercatori allo sviluppo di nuove idee volte alla creazione della prossima generazione di immunoterapie. I ricercatori usufruiranno di una formazione multidisciplinare in scienze biomediche e fisiche, nonché in ricerca e sviluppo di farmaci. Uno degli obiettivi del progetto è quello di generare sistemi di somministrazione in grado di rilasciare l’agente terapeutico attivo esclusivamente nel sito tumorale, riducendo al minimo gli effetti collaterali. Inoltre, il progetto farà progredire le citochine e gli anticorpi immunoterapici esistenti allo scopo di stimolare in modo sinergico l’immunità delle cellule T contro il cancro.
Obiettivo
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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Meccanismo di finanziamento
MSCA-ITN - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Innovative Training Networks (ITN)Coordinatore
9713 GZ Groningen
Paesi Bassi