Latest news

Intratumoral microdialysis-based approach to assess tumor immunometabolism & specific immunometabolic pathways-targeting

02 / 20 / 2019

Syngeneic tumor models were becoming invaluable for preclinical development and evaluation of immuno-based therapies. Nevertheless, the immunometabolic features of these tumors models, which may likely underlie responsiveness to immunotherapies, are still not well understood and become thus primordial to be defined for tumor model characterization and selection of the appropriate ones, for target validation, drug development, and assessment of the efficacy potential of drug candidates.

Neutrophil chemotaxis assay for cancer immunotherapy screening

12 / 06 / 2018

Besides their antimicrobial functions, neutrophils are likely infiltrating many types of tumors and increasing evidence correlate the tumor-associated neutrophils (TANs) with poor clinical outcome thereby supporting their role in tumor development. Recruitment of such TANs is indeed driven by key chemokines including the prototypical CXCL8 (IL8) or CXCL1 produced by tumor cells or its microenvironment. In turns, TANs might be involved in the recruitment of other immune cell populations (eg. Tregs, TAMs, etc), all together maintaining the local immunosuppressive microenvironment. Therefore acting on neutrophil recruitment and migration represents a valuable cancer immunotherapy strategy.

Mixed Lymphocyte Reaction for novel cancer immunotherapy testing

10 / 18 / 2018

The immunological synapse that occurs between T lymphocytes and Dendritic cells (DCs) is a key component of an effective immune response and is controlled by a combination of stimulatory and inhibitory signals – also called immune checkpoints. As to trigger a better anti-tumor immune response, interventions through a fine-tuning of these control signals within the immunological synapse represent one of the most promising cancer immunotherapy strategies.

Quantitative in vitro assays for pharmacological characterization of PD1/PDL1 and CTLA4 immune checkpoint blockade

09 / 19 / 2018

Activation of T cell immune response through regulation of immune checkpoint pathways is one of the most considerable strategies being employed in cancer immunotherapy, either as individual or in combination. While development of checkpoint inhibitors blocking PD1/PDL1 interaction is still a major interest thereby contributing to the suppression of tumor immune resistance, accurate identification and robust pharmacological characterization of modulatory agents thus become key and should be guaranteed through the assays.

Eurostars Granted Project “A Novel Modified Natural Killer (NK) Cell Immunotherapy For The Treatment Of Solid Tumours” –

05 / 17 / 2018

Eurostars Granted Project “A Novel Modified Natural Killer (NK) Cell Immunotherapy For The Treatment Of Solid Tumours” –

Eurostars, a European joint programme, co-funded from the national budgets of several EUREKA countries and by the European Union through Horizon 2020 has awarded, through a highly-competitive selection process, the Project “A novel modified natural killer (NK) cell immunotherapy for the treatment of solid tumours” – MODIFY-NK.

In Vitro Immune Cell Activation

02 / 19 / 2018

Modulation of the immune system function aiming at enhancing the responsiveness potential of immune cells is one of the current promising challenges in cancer immunotherapy. Upon activation, immune (T) cells undergo clonal expansion followed by differentiation into effectors to mediate cytotoxicity and/or cytokine release. Modulating the mechanisms underlying immune cell activation is key for the development of innovative approaches to promote immune function and tackle tumor progression.