Project

Investigating the immune landscape in desmoid tumors and liposarcomas

Code
bof/baf/4y/2024/01/861
Duration
01 January 2024 → 31 December 2025
Funding
Regional and community funding: Special Research Fund
Research disciplines
  • Medical and health sciences
    • Cancer biology
Keywords
CRISPR-Cas9 sarcomas Light-sheet microscopy and deep learning Tumor micro-environment Xenopus
 
Project description

Using CRISPR-mediated disruption of tumor suppressor genes in Xenopus tropicalis, penetrant and fast models for soft tissue cancers, e.g. desmoid tumors and liposarcomas, have been obtained. While we have evidence that the immune system of the frog can be activated to cause desmoid tumor regression, we have no clear insight in how this is mediated. This is largely due to the absence of suitable markers for the different immune cell populations. Therefore, single-cell transcriptomics on spleens will be employed to uncover suitable immune cell markers. This is crucial for expanding our understanding of diverse immune cell populations within our cancer models. We will investigate the presence of these cell populations via three-dimensional visualization in cleared tumor tissues via light sheet microscopy. Novel therapeutic targets that potentially engage the immune system against the tumors will be investigated in our models.