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Study demonstrates potential of gene-editing T cells to treat liver cancer

A recent study by the Maini group shows the potential of gene-editing liver resident T cells to treat hepatic tumors.

27 November 2018

Transmission electron microscopic image of Heptatitis B virus

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  • Faculty of Medical Sciences
  • Study demonstrates potential of gene-editing T cells to treat liver cancer

The study, led by the Maini Group and published in Molecular Therapy, demonstrates the potential of gene-editing PD-1 on TCR-redirected T cells for the treatment of liver cancer and viral infections.

Work on the paper, ‘Molecular recalibration of PD-1+ antigen-specific T cells from blood and liver’, was carried out by Itziar Otano who joined the Maini lab from Universidad de Navarra in Pamplona, Spain to work as a post-doc, funded by EASL and the Wellcome Trust.

For the final part of this project, Itziar worked in the labs of Andrea Pavesi and Antonio Bertoletti in Singapore to test genetically engineered T cells in their 3D microfluidic model of HBV-related liver cancer.

Links

  • Read the paper: Molecular recalibration of PD-1+ antigen-specific T cells from blood and liver (Molecular Therapy Journal)
  • Maini Group
  • Profile: Professor Mala Maini

Image

  • Transmission electron microscopic (TEM) image of hepatitis B virus (HBV) particles (orange) (Credit: CDC/ Dr. Erskine Palmer)

Highlights in Medical Sciences

Groundbreaking bowel cancer trial follow-up shows zero relapses
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Groundbreaking bowel cancer trial follow-up shows zero relapses

Patients with a specific bowel cancer who were given short-course immunotherapy before surgery, instead of post-op chemotherapy, remained cancer-free after nearly three years of follow-up.

Drug to treat aggressive leukaemia approved for use in adults
Fluorescence microscopy image of immune cells, showing blue-stained nuclei surrounded by green cell membranes with red marker signals indicating specific proteins or activity within the cells.

Research

Drug to treat aggressive leukaemia approved for use in adults

Adult patients with aggressive leukaemia will soon be able to receive a breakthrough immunotherapy, developed by UCL researchers, on the NHS after approval by NICE.

Millions could benefit from faster prostate cancer scan
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Research

Millions could benefit from faster prostate cancer scan

Results of the PRIME trial involving UCL Medical Sciences researchers have found that a quicker, cheaper MRI scan was just as accurate at diagnosing prostate cancer as the current 30-40 minute scan.

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