The Foundation is excited to share a progress update from A/Prof. Misty Jenkins, Laboratory Head of the Immunology Division at The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research. A/Prof Jenkin’s research is funded by the Foundation through a 2019 Innovation Grant, worth $200,000.
A/Prof. Jenkins and her team aim to improve the poor prognosis of brain cancer by creating a new immunotherapy called Chimeric Antigen Receptor T cells (or CAR-T cells). Immunotherapy uses the patient’s immune system to recognise and treat their own cancer. CAR-T cells are specialised white blood cells that are genetically engineered to target and kill cancer cells while leaving healthy neighbouring cells alone.
“We have made consistent progress in this project will which continue beyond the lifetime of this grant. We have collected glioblastoma tumours, straight out of surgery, and processed them immediately, to determine what proteins are expressed on the surface of the tumour cells… The therapy consists of making antibodies to the proteins, which we then use molecular biology to turn them into CAR T cells. Later this year we will be able to make these and then test them and see if the CAR T cells will specifically kill the glioblastoma tumours but leave the healthy cells unharmed.”
A/Prof. Misty Jenkins
WEHI
A/Prof. Jenkins and her team aim to establish a world-leading immunotherapy laboratory, dedicated to the development and application of immunotherapy as a therapeutic option for brain cancer.
Dr. Hamza Anwer, Head of Research at CBCF says, “It’s incredible to receive updates like this one from A/Prof Jenkins and her team, which show that we really are seeing inroads being made in brain cancer research, especially in the field of immunotherapy treatments. It is our commitment to continue to invest in such promising research, to ensure the best outcomes for the brain cancer community.”
This project has successfully focused on the discovery of new immunotherapy targets. A/Prof. Jenkins and her team are now aiming to progress these discoveries into new therapeutic options for patients and are working to translate these findings into a clinical trial. Speaking on the impact of Cure Brain Cancer Foundation funding, A/Prof. Jenkins stated, “We are incredibly grateful to Cure Brain Cancer Foundation and to the donors that support this work. We are also grateful that the Foundation also raises the profile of this devastating disease, and we look forward to an ongoing partnership.”
You can read more about A/Prof. Jenkin’s project here.
