The thymic gate: The role of thymic selection processes for cotransplantation of CAR-engineered precursor T-cells for leukemia control after mismatched hematopoietic stemcell transplantation (A03)

• Subject Area: Hematology, Oncology
• Term: from 2007 to 2019
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 24899777

While prevention and early diagnosis of GvHD is one major clinical challenge after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, enhancing GvL and thereby preventing leukemia relapse is another important goal. The use of leukemia-specific T-cells as compared to largely allospecific donor leukocyte infusion has the potential advantage to elicit more efficient tumor depletion without causing GvHD. Therefore, project A3 aims to generate tumor-specific T-cells by changing the specificity of conventional T-cells by retroviral transfer of a tumor specific alpha/beta T-cell receptor (TCR) or of a tumor specific chimeric antigen receptor (CAR). To increase the in vivo functionality and longevity of transferred T-cells the modifications are performed on T-cell progenitor.

• DFG Programme: Collaborative Research Centres
• Subproject of: SFB 738: Optimisation of Conventional and Innovative Transplants
• Applicant Institution: Medizinische Hochschule Hannover
• Project Head: Professor Dr. Martin Sauer