Lung Cancer and Melanoma – PD Dr Grégory Verdeil (UNIL), Prof. Alfred Zippelius (USB) et Prof. Kirsten Mertz (USB)

Preventing immune exhaustion during cancer immunotherapies

Spatial NFAT5 activity as Determinant of Immune Failure and Target for Next-Generation Cancer Immunotherapies

This team has long been interested in why the immune cells that are responsible for attacking cancer cells gradually lose their effectiveness within certain tumors, compromising immunotherapeutic approaches. The researchers focus on NFAT5, a protein that is particularly active in necrotic areas of the tumor, where local conditions appear to contribute to the exhaustion of immune cells. They will study this mechanism in samples of melanoma and lung cancer to determine whether NFAT5 activity can help predict treatment response.

The project will also evaluate a strategy aimed at blocking NFAT5 to restore the antitumor activity of T cells. The researchers will test this approach in preclinical models and on patient-derived tissues, as well as in the context of cell therapies. The goal is to improve the persistence and efficacy of immune cells used in cell-based immunotherapies against many tumors.