Training experience required
The candidate would be expected to have some experience in translational medicine and basic knowledge in onco-immunology.
General description of the institute
UCL is one of Europe's largest and most productive centres of biomedical research. We were the top-rated university in the UK for research strength in the most recent Research Excellence Framework. Our scientists have an international reputation for leading basic, translational and clinical cancer research and the Cancer Institute is uniquely positioned to leverage the multidisciplinary nature of UCL by engaging a range of disciplines to transform cancer research.
The UCL Cancer Institute is the hub for cancer research at University College London, one of the World's leading universities. The Institute draws together over 400 talented scientists who are working together to translate research discoveries into developing kinder, more effective therapies for cancer patients.
Expertise
The Immune Regulation and Tumour Immunotherapy group at the UCL Cancer Institute aims to investigate the interplay between the immune system and cancer throughout tumour progression and immunotherapy. The use of our own immune system to specifically target cancerous cells has become a promising approach in the fight against cancer. However, anti-tumour immunity is tightly regulated by cellular and molecular circuits that prevent self and tumour destruction and significantly limit the efficacy of existing therapies.
CD4+ T cells play a key role in the regulation of immune responses to self and foreign antigens, differentiating into various subsets of helper and regulatory T cells and instructing the function of CD8+ T cells, NK cells and macrophages. Nonetheless, little is still known about the biology of tumour-reactive CD4+ T cells during tumour progression and cancer immunotherapy.
Our aim is to identify and target the most relevant cellular and molecular pathways restricting the activation of tumour-reactive lymphocytes, their access to the tumour site, and their activity within the tumour microenvironment. Moreover, we are interested in how the function and plasticity of tumour-reactive CD4+ T cells and the innate immune compartment is regulated by the tumour microenvironment and by immune co-inhibitory (e.g. CTLA-4 and PD-1) and co-stimulatory signals (e.g. GITR, OX40, CD27). In addition, we are interested in understanding how these regulatory circuits control the efficacy of cellular vaccination and adoptive cell transfer strategies and how can they be manipulated to induce potent anti-tumour immunity.
These studies will not only inform the basic understanding of the immune response to malignancies, but in the context of the UCL Cancer Institute, will be used as a platform for the development of novel translational strategies in the clinic.
Facilities
Please refer to Translational Technology Platforms.
Last update: April 2021
