Tumor-Targeting T Cells Engineered

Scientists genetically modify T cells derived from pluripotent stem cells to attack lymphatic tumors.

| 3 min read

Register for free to listen to this article
Listen with Speechify
0:00
3:00
Share

Blood cells from a patient suffering from chronic lymphocytic leukemiaFLICKR, ED UTHMANScientists have combined the ability to reprogram stem cells into T cells with a recently developed strategy for genetically modifying patients’ own T cells to seek and destroy tumors. The result is the capacity to mass-produce in the laboratory an unlimited quantity of cancer-fighting cells that resemble natural T cells, a type of white blood cell that fights cancer and viruses. In a study published today (August 11) in Nature Biotechnology, researchers show that the genetically engineered cells can effectively wipe out tumors in a mouse model of lymphoma.

“To put these two techniques together is really groundbreaking,” said Pam Ohashi, a cell biologist at the Ontario Cancer Institute, who was not involved in the study. “The idea that you can make unlimited numbers of tumor-killing cells is very exciting.”

Earlier this year, a team led by cancer specialist Michel Sadelain at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center reported Phase 1 clinical trial results showing that treatment with genetically manipulated T cells could quickly eradicate tumors in patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, a tenacious cancer that kills more than 60 percent of those afflicted. However, the immunotherapy—one of a number of treatments in which the immune system is trained to attack cancer—requires the extraction, processing, and reintroduction of T cells from each individual patient’s own ...

Interested in reading more?

Become a Member of

The Scientist Logo
Receive full access to more than 35 years of archives, as well as TS Digest, digital editions of The Scientist, feature stories, and much more!
Already a member? Login Here

Keywords

Meet the Author

  • Chris Palmer

    This person does not yet have a bio.
Share
3D illustration of a gold lipid nanoparticle with pink nucleic acid inside of it. Purple and teal spikes stick out from the lipid bilayer representing polyethylene glycol.
February 2025, Issue 1

A Nanoparticle Delivery System for Gene Therapy

A reimagined lipid vehicle for nucleic acids could overcome the limitations of current vectors.

View this Issue
Enhancing Therapeutic Antibody Discovery with Cross-Platform Workflows

Enhancing Therapeutic Antibody Discovery with Cross-Platform Workflows

sartorius logo
Considerations for Cell-Based Assays in Immuno-Oncology Research

Considerations for Cell-Based Assays in Immuno-Oncology Research

Lonza
An illustration of animal and tree silhouettes.

From Water Bears to Grizzly Bears: Unusual Animal Models

Taconic Biosciences
Sex Differences in Neurological Research

Sex Differences in Neurological Research

bit.bio logo

Products

Photo of a researcher overseeing large scale production processes in a laboratory.

Scaling Lentiviral Vector Manufacturing for Optimal Productivity

Thermo Fisher Logo
Collage-style urban graphic of wastewater surveillance and treatment

Putting Pathogens to the Test with Wastewater Surveillance

An illustration of an mRNA molecule in front of a multicolored background.

Generating High-Quality mRNA for In Vivo Delivery with lipid nanoparticles

Thermo Fisher Logo
Tecan Logo

Tecan introduces Veya: bringing digital, scalable automation to labs worldwide