Enhancing tumour infiltration by CAR T cells

CAR T cells are an exciting class of "living drug" in which T cells are fitted out with a new antigen receptor that allows them to react strongly toward cancer cells. While very effective against haematological cancer, they have had less impact on solid cancers due in part to tumour barriers erected to thwart effective homing toward, egress into and infiltration of the tumour by CAR T cells.

In this project, the student will focus on greatly enhancing the homing and invasiveness of CAR T cells by exploiting a natural regulator of such T cell behaviour. The student will be trained in how to grow and engineer T cells; how to measure their activity and in particular their invasiveness using a range of increasingly sophisticated 3D culture systems; and ultimately to determine whether CAR T cells engineered this way have enhanced ability to suppress tumour growth in vivo.

Training will also be provided for transferable skills such as science communication, public engagement, and data handling.

Collectively, the supervisory teams possess ample experience and knowledge in T cell engineering, evaluating the invasiveness of cells, culturing cancer cells in 3D environments, performing in vivo work, and taking discoveries from the bench to the bedside that they will put at the student's disposal. Moreover, the successful candidate will be welcomed into friendly teams that are respectful, inclusive and valuing diversity.