Research Projects

Despite the ability of cancer vaccines to generate brand new and strong anti-tumour immune responses, their therapeutic efficacy is still unsatisfactory. This is due to the limited potency and antigen-specificity of available cancer vaccines, which need to be combined with other treatments to overcome the local immune suppression of tumour microenvironment. This project aims at developing new classes of clinically applicable cancer vaccines targeting tumours with limited inherent immunogenicity by exploiting our recently developed nanoparticle-based vaccination platform targeting cross-presenting dendritic cells in vivo. Novel and more immunogenic antigen formulations will be identified and therapeutically validated in different preclinical cancer models. To overcome immunotherapy resistance and local immunosuppression typically associated with tumour progression, the project will explore mechanism-based combination therapies, also including cell- and gene-based strategies for the tumour targeted delivery of biomolecules. Proof of feasibility, efficacy, and safety, as well as insights into therapy induced immune modulation will be provided using both murine and humanised models of primary and metastatic tumours, including melanoma, breast, liver, colorectal and brain cancers.

Project site: Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology

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