← Zurück zu Team
Forschungsprojekt
Impact of PROTAC-mediated HPV16 E6/E7 degradation on viral antigen presentation and T cell-driven tumor cell killing
The HPV oncoproteins E6 and E7, essential for uncontrolled cell proliferation, are ideal therapy targets but their inhibition has a limited effect due to the need to efficiently target every cancer cell. Proteolysis Targeting Chimeras (PROTACs) are small molecules triggering proteasomal degradation of target proteins, and additionally are enhancing MHC-presentation of target protein-derived peptides on the cell surface. This project aims to investigate whether PROTAC-mediated HPV E6/E7 degradation potentiates the efficacy of HPV therapeutic vaccination, by increasing viral antigen presentation on target cells. We will characterize HPV16 E6/E7-derived peptides presented on MHC-I after PROTAC-mediated degradation by mass spectrometry-based immunopeptidomics and assess the potential increase in tumor immunogenicity by cytotoxicity assays. Then, we will assess the combination of HPV16 E6/E7 PROTAC-mediated degradation and therapeutic vaccination in orthotopic tumor models in MHC-humanized A2.DR1 mice.
Wissenschaftlicher Lebenslauf
Since Apr 2024
Postdoctoral Scientist, Immunotherapy and Immunoprevention, DKFZ, Heidelberg
Sept 2022 – Dec 2022
Postdoctoral Scientist, Integrated Veterinary Research Unit, University of Namur, Belgium
2017 - 2022
PhD student, Integrated Veterinary Research Unit, University of Namur, Belgium
2015 - 2017
MSc Bioengineering in Chemistry and Bioindustries, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, University of Liège, Belgium (including an Erasmus exchange at Newcastle University, United Kingdom)
2012 – 2015
BSc Bioengineering, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, University of Liège, Belgium