Role of extracellular vesicles in the outcome of CAR T cell therapy in cancer

Chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR-T) cell therapy has significantly advanced cancer immunotherapy for haematological malignancies by redirecting the cytotoxic activity of patient T cells to tumour cells. Application of CAR-T technology for haematological and solid cancers is the focus of intense clinical research currently. While in some patients CAR-T infusion leads to complete and sustained clearance of the cancer, a significant proportion have primary resistance to treatment or fail to achieve durable clinical responses. Efficacy in solid tumours has not met the success levels seen in liquid cancers. There is a clear need for better understanding of CAR-T cell function to increase clinical success.

Outcome This project will establish the metabolic basis of CAR-T cell motility investigating both environmental and cell-intrinsic metabolic factors. Finally, we will uncover the role these factors may play in therapeutic response.