Project R-4148

T lymphocytes: from basic biology to immunotherapy (Research)

The major objective of the project is to gain insights into the mechanism whereby antigenstimulated T lymphocytes acquire and express adequate effector function during an immune response. The long term goal of the project is to devise novel and efficient strategies for the immunotherapy of cancer. To be effective, "cancer vaccines" need to address two major challenges: (i) vaccination needs to stimulate the clonal expansion and differentiation of tumour-specific effector lymphocytes toward the desired phenotype (cytotoxic / inflammatory) and (ii) suppressor mechanisms limiting immunotherapy need to be overcome. This long term goal requires therefore a better understanding of the molecular linguistics governing immune cells interaction, i.e. (i) the identification of molecules (costimulatory factors, cytokines and others) used by cells of the immune system to communicate and (ii) the sequence of molecular events initiated by these molecules in responsive cells and finally (iii) the evaluation of "cellular autonomous" (i.e. intrinsic) and "infectious" (i.e. imposed by a distinct cellular subset) regulatory mechanisms opposing the development of an immune response. Basic immune biology knowledge will be acquired by studying functionality of different immune subsets in health and disease. More specifically disease will be included that are characterized by overt or insufficient immunity. Hasselt university will contribute by studying the role of chronically stimulated CD4 T cells and regulatory T cells in the context of autoimmunity.

01 October 2012 - 31 December 2017