This project focuses on a type of blood cancer called Acute Myeloid Leukaemia (AML). It is now well established that the immune system can play a significant role in cancer clearance. Among immune cells, T-cells are especially known for their ability to kill cancer cells without causing any harm to other cells in the body. This recognition is mediated through their surface receptor called a T-cell receptor (TCR).
Throughout this PhD, the student will isolate T-cells capable of recognising AML cells from patient blood and characterise their TCR. The TCR can then be used in therapy to reprogramme AML patients’ cells and induce the specific killing of AML cancer cells. This type of treatment has the potential to overcome side effects classically caused by conventional chemotherapies, while improving outcomes in AML patients.