Projektbeschreibung
T-Zellen gegen Tumoren wachsen in eigens konstruierter Nische
In den letzten Jahren gab es eine Reihe neuer immuntherapeutischer Entwicklungen für die Behandlung von Krebs, zum Beispiel Immuncheckpoint-Inhibitoren oder biotechnologisch bearbeitete T-Zellen. Obwohl sie hervorragend gegen hämatologische Malignome wirken, ist ihr therapeutischer Effekt bei soliden Tumoren nachweislich nur begrenzt. Das EU-finanzierte Projekt INCITE arbeitet ausgehend von der Hypothese, dass die Immuntherapie klinisch deshalb nicht funktioniert, weil nicht die richtige Art von tumorbekämpfenden T-Zellen herangezogen wird. Die Forschenden von INCITE werden daher eine funktionelle Immun-Nische für die Selektion und Expansion von denjenigen T-Zellen konstruieren, die Tumoren abstoßen. Wenn für die adoptive Therapie die am besten geeigneten T-Zellen gegen Tumoren gefunden werden können, wird sich die Krebsbehandlung deutlich verbessern.
Ziel
Cancer is rapidly becoming the most frequent cause of morbidity and mortality in the EU, accounting for a quarter of all deaths in EU. Without breakthroughs in treatment, cancer is likely to remain one of the biggest killers in the 21st century. Immunotherapy of cancer by checkpoint inhibitors, vaccines or adoptive T cell therapy is coming of age and has the potential to cure cancer, but is still hampered by some major limitations. For instance, Adoptive Cell Therapy (ACT) with unmanipulated or engineered T cells (TCR-transgenic and CAR-T cells) has indeed demonstrated success in the treatment of patients affected by leukemias, but is much less effective against lymphomas and solid tumors. One likely explanation is that we do not educate the right type of anti-tumor T cells. The T cells considered to be the gold standard for tumor therapy have stem cell memory features, but the proper and safe way to generate these fit T cells for clinical purposes is still an unresolved matter. Here we propose an advanced transformative technology termed INCITE, utilizing a novel high-resolution 3D microfabrication technology to engineer a specially tailored microenvironment that will be inhabited by cells central for T cells education in order to generate the fittest anti-tumor T cells for advanced adoptive T cell therapy. INCITE will bring together a transdisciplinary consortium capable of developing this innovative platform by combining state-of-the-art 3D printing, computer modeling, bioengineering, bioinformatics, immunology, developmental and cancer biology approaches, toward the development of a functional immune niche for selection and expansion of tumor-rejecting T cells. The INCITE platform will revolutionize the treatment of cancer patients with ACT, with a profound impact on the quality of life and well-being of millions of people.
Wissenschaftliches Gebiet
- medical and health sciencesmedical biotechnologycells technologiesstem cells
- medical and health sciencesbasic medicinepharmacology and pharmacypharmaceutical drugsvaccines
- medical and health sciencesbasic medicineimmunologyimmunotherapy
- engineering and technologymechanical engineeringmanufacturing engineeringadditive manufacturing
- medical and health sciencesclinical medicineoncologyleukemia
Schlüsselbegriffe
Programm/Programme
Aufforderung zur Vorschlagseinreichung
Andere Projekte für diesen Aufruf anzeigenUnterauftrag
H2020-FETOPEN-2018-2019-2020-01
Finanzierungsplan
RIA - Research and Innovation actionKoordinator
7491 Trondheim
Norwegen