Research team
Expertise
My expertise encompasses a range of research activities in basic and translational research, aimed at developing effective new combination treatments for solid tumors through targeted and immune therapies, and by unraveling resistance mechanisms. Specifically, my focus is on head and neck cancers. Regarding targeted therapies, I have specialized in the anti-EGFR inhibitor cetuximab and PI3K/Akt pathway inhibitors. Additionally, I am conducting research on cell therapy using CAR-NK cells.
Lipid metabolic rewiring enables head and neck cancer cells to evade natural killer cell cytotoxicity.
Abstract
Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) patients face a significant unmet medical need. Notably, HNSCC is among the most immune infiltrated tumor types, characterized by remarkably high levels of natural killer (NK) cell infiltration. This highlights the strong therapeutic potential of NK cell-based strategies for this disease. Moreover, the only FDA approved targeted therapy for HNSCC, cetuximab, partly relies on NK cell activation to exert its antitumor effects. Metabolic reprogramming of tumor cells, particularly alterations in fatty acid (FA) metabolism, has been increasingly linked to immune evasion and resistance to immune cell mediated cytotoxicity. This project aims to unravel the mechanisms by which FA metabolic reprogramming in HNSCC, further amplified in cetuximab resistant cells, contributes to NK cell suppression. Overall, this research will deepen our understanding of NK cell escape mechanisms driven by altered FA metabolism and accelerate the development of NK cell based therapies, especially for patients with HNSCC.Researcher(s)
- Promoter: Wouters An
- Co-promoter: De Waele Jorrit
- Co-promoter: Zaryouh Hannah
- Fellow: Rapol Thomas
Research team(s)
Funding
- BOF
Project type(s)
- Research Project