Advanced approaches to investigate Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocytes (TILs) and their function

• Grant number: 24/23465-3
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: March 01, 2025
• End date: June 30, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Immunology - Applied Immunology
• Principal Investigator: João Gustavo Pessini Amarante Mendes
• Grantee: Leonardo Vicente Moura
• Supervisor: Pamela Ohashi
• Host Institution: Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas (ICB). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: University Health Network (UHN), Canada
• Associated to the scholarship: 24/00188-4 - Analysis of the cytotoxic capacity of the different subpopulations of CD8+ T lymphocytes in a 2D and 3D model of melanoma, BP.IC

Abstract

Cancer remains one of the foremost causes of mortality globally. Tumorigenesis is a multifaceted and progressive process that involves a tumor microenvironment (TME) comprised of various cell types and molecular components, which collectively influence tumor growth, metastasis, and therapeutic response. The intricate interactions between tumor cells and the TME play a pivotal role in cancer progression and the effectiveness of treatments, including immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) and therapies utilizing tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs). TILs have demonstrated significant efficacy in the treatment of metastatic melanoma and other solid tumors; however, the dynamics of their relationship with the TME are not yet fully elucidated. Enhancing the characterization and understanding of TIL function within the tumor context is critical for the advancement of combinatorial and personalized therapeutic strategies. This specific short-term project aims to acquire advanced methodologies for the isolation and characterization of TILs within the TME.