Engineering CAR-T cells by a cost-effective non-viral gene delivery method

Overview

Project Summary

Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) T cell therapy signifies a groundbreaking advancement in cancer treatment, introducing a novel strategy to augment the immune system's capacity to combat cancer. This therapy entails the modification of T cells with synthetic receptors known as CARs, designed to identify and eradicate cancer cells. Despite considerable progress in the field, the predominant method of producing these T cells involves the use of viral vectors, which poses challenges in terms of high costs, safety considerations, and production complexities. Nanosystems emerge as a compelling avenue to surmount these challenges, offering a safer and more economically viable CAR T cell production platform. Polymers and lipids, which exhibit significant potential in fabricating diverse gene delivery platforms for CAR T cell engineering, are particularly interesting. 

Main Goals

This project aims to investigate the potential of lipid and polymer-based nanosystems as a prominent technology for T-cell transfection. The optimization of these nanocarriers holds the promise of enhancing existing T cell-based cancer treatments, paving the way for the development of next-generation T cell therapeutics.

Project Details