Natural and Synthetic Hydrogels as Biomimetic Materials for Cancer Immunotherapies

by Roberto Fabião Santos Abreu, from the Nanomol-Bio Group at ICMAB-CSIC

Date: Thursday, 21 April 2022
Time: 10:00 am
Venue: ICMAB - Sala d'Actes Carles Miravitlles and online. Register here to attend by Zoom.

Abstract: Recent achievements in the field of immunotherapy, such as the development of engineered T cells used in adoptive cell therapy, are introducing more efficient strategies to combat cancer. Nevertheless, these T cells are challenging to manufacture, manipulate, and control. Specifically, there are limitations in producing the large amounts of specific T cells needed for these therapies in a short period of time and in an economically viable manner.

During my studies, we have studied different 3D systems with the objective of achieving higher proliferation rates and tune the resulting phenotypes, by resembling the natural environment of the secondary lymphoid organs.

Supervisors:

• Judith Guasch, Nanomol-Bio Group, ICMAB, CSIC
• Imma Ratera, Nanomol-Bio Group, ICMAB, CSIC

PhD Committee:

• President: Jesus Maria Izco Zaratiegui, Bioproducts Diversification, Viscofan SA, Spain
• Secretary: Ana Paula Candiota Silveira, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Department, CIBER-BBN, Spain
• Vocal: Kaori Sugihara, Materials and Environmental Science Department, The University of Tokyo, Japan

University: Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona
PhD Programme: Materials Science Programme

Simplified scheme of a representative hydrogel as a biomimetic material for cancer immunotherapies. Normalized replication index values from the best conditions found on each 3D hydrogel (with Dynabeads) used on this doctoral Thesis for culturing and expanding primary human CD4+ T cells.