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PhD positions

Alejandro Anido – Development of therapies targeting the oncogenic and immunologic activity of MYCN in neuroblastoma

Institute:The Institute of Cancer Research
Supervisor:Prof. Dr. Louis Chesler
Co-Supervisors:Prof. Dr. Frank Speleman and Dr. Esther Drent
Secondments:Ugent (Belgium) and Roche (Switzerland)
Enrolment in Doctoral Program:Cancer Biology
PhD awarded by:University of London

Objectives

MYCN is a driver of paediatric cancer, oncogene dependency and immunosuppression. We have developed initial small-molecule drugs and CAR-T therapies targeting MYCN, now entering clinical use. The objective now is to develop synergistic combination therapy with small-molecules and complementary T-cell directed drugs. We will characterize the immunologic and microenvironmental effects of treatment, correlate them with elimination of MYCN transcription and use them to develop rational combination therapy for a clinical trial.

Expected Results

We expect to: 1) develop detailed single-cell transcriptomic and proteomic data on maintenance of tumours and immune- microenvironment by MYCN, 2) develop in-vivo data on impact to tumour microenvironment, tumour progression and survival and 3) test a synergistic small-molecule CAR-T therapy approach for clinical trial.