Tumour-blood crosstalk
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Study of human blood components in tumour biology
IRAS ID
364258
Contact name
Siang-Boon Koh
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Bristol
Duration of Study in the UK
5 years, 0 months, 0 days
Research summary
Human blood is a complex mixture of diverse cellular components, including immune cells such as T lymphocytes and monocytes, as well as red blood cells, platelets, and various progenitor cells. These cellular components collectively play important roles in health and disease, including cancer. While cytotoxic T cells are key players in recognising and killing tumor cells, monocytes and other blood components may also influence tumour progression and the immune response.
Tumours often create an environment that suppresses the activity of cytotoxic T cells, monocytes, and other immune cells, impairing their ability to eliminate cancer. Thus, understanding how these various blood cell types interact with tumour cells and contribute to tumour biology is crucial for developing effective therapies. Both academic and industrial research efforts are focused on unraveling these complex interactions to identify new strategies that can overcome tumour-mediated suppression and enhance anti-tumour activity.
Building on extensive research in preclinical models, we propose to develop an experimental system using human blood cells. This system will enable the culture and engineering of cytotoxic T cells, monocytes, and other blood components to study their interactions with human tumour cells grown in the context of two- or three-dimensional cultures. By modelling these interactions in vitro, we aim to better understand how tumours evade immune attack and how different blood components contribute to this process.
This platform will provide a valuable tool for evaluating therapeutic agents designed to restore or enhance the function of immune cells and other blood components within the tumour microenvironment, accelerating the development of novel cancer treatments.
REC name
West Midlands - South Birmingham Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
25/WM/0265
Date of REC Opinion
22 Dec 2025
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion