Developing novel immune-cell-based therapy against acute leukemias​

Project aims/goals​​​

​​​The overall aim of the project is to characterize primary AML patient samples to identify antigens that are safety and effectively targeted using immune-cell based therapy​​.

Summary

​​We are building a cohort of adults with acute myeloid leukemia. Blood and bone marrow samples from routine care will be banked at the University of Calgary, then analyzed using cutting-edge “multi-omics” tools that read each cancer cell’s genome and transcriptome. This information will be leveraged to characterize leukemia cells and identify targetable antigens, leading to safer and more effective immunotherapies, including CAR-T cell therapy. ​ 

Anticipated outcomes and impact​​

​​We anticipate identifying immunotherapy-targetable antigens associated with distinct mutational patterns or disease states. Genomic and transcriptomic data from the MoH cohort, combined with publicly available databases, will be leveraged to shortlist promising candidate targets. Surface proteins will be prioritized for CAR-based therapies, while intracellular proteins will be explored for TCR targeting. This approach will enable the development of novel immunotherapies, addressing critical unmet clinical needs for patients with AML.​