Targeting cancer neoantigens in patients with myeloid malignancies

Division Of Basic Sciences - Nci

Investigators

Linked publications & trials

Abstract

General: 1. Established an independent laboratory in a new space (in which I moved in April 2023) 2. Hired and am training one post-baccalaureate fellow (since April 2023) Personalized screening: 1. Expanded T cells from three patients with MDS-precursor conditions and two patients with MDS/AML using patient-specific mutations. Expansion for another patient with leukemia is in progress. Currently optimizing conditions for growth and preparing for final testing. 2. Amended two clinical protocols (natural history studies for MDS and GVHD) to allow collection of additional samples for research. Isolation of TCRs recognizing common driver mutations and fusions: 1. Prepared and created an extensive list of candidate mutations/fusions that may serve as valuable immunotherapy targets. Generated lists of peptides representing these mutations that are predicted to bind to common class I HLA molecules. Peptide ordering initiated and will be completed before the end of the fiscal year. 2. Processed and banked PBMCs from several healthy donors with common class I HLA molecules; collection of additional samples in in progress. 3. Experimental work on isolating TCRs against these peptides will begin in August 2023.