Understanding how to use immune cells to TARGET blood cancer cells

• Research type

  Research Study

• Full title

  A study of T-cell antigen recognition and function in blood cancer and stem cell transplant patients to inform future therapeutic development (TARGET)

• IRAS ID

  347916

• Contact name

  Linda Wooldridge

• Contact email

  linda.wooldridge@bristol.ac.uk

• Sponsor organisation

  University of Bristol

• Duration of Study in the UK

  6 years, 11 months, 18 days

• Research summary

  Acute leukemia can be challenging to treat so there is an urgent need to develop new and improved treatments. We are planning to study a type of immune cell called a T-cell which is capable of killing cancer cells. T-cells do this by recognizing proteins being made inside the cancer cells. One approach to removing blood cancer cells is to provide patients with T-cells from a donor by giving a stem cell transplant. However, sometimes the donor T-cells do not remove all of the blood cancer cells, or they may start to damage normal cells which can result in side effects.
  
  In this study, we will be trying to understand what allows T-cells to kill blood cancer cells and what might trigger them to cause side effects after a stem cell transplant. To do this, we will look for proteins that can stimulate T-cells capable of killing blood cancer cells. This will involve analysing samples collected from patients who are at different stages of their diagnosis and treatment. We will also look for proteins that trigger T-cells to cause side effects after a transplant. In addition, we will study factors that may influence how T-cells work.

  The findings from this research are expected to provide insights into how to selectively stimulate T-cells to eradicate blood cancer cells in patients without causing harmful side effects. We hope that this knowledge may eventually lead to improvements in patient outcomes after receiving a stem cell transplant for the treatment of a blood cancer. In addition, we also hope that the identification of proteins that can activate T-cells capable of killing blood cancer cells may eventually lead to the development of new or improved ways to kill blood cancer cells.

• REC name

  North West - Preston Research Ethics Committee

• REC reference

  24/NW/0355

• Date of REC Opinion

  26 Nov 2024

• REC opinion

  Favourable Opinion