User: TATUM Bioscience
Immunotherapy has revolutionized cancer treatment, but only 20 to 30 percent of patients respond long-term. Intratumoural cancer vaccination could improve response rates by providing both local and systemic effects. However, animal models currently used often fail to predict human vaccine responses. By using patient-derived human tumour explants, we can model immune responses with a minimally altered tumour microenvironment (TME).
This project will combine a skin cancer biobank with TME characterization through gene expression and spatial architecture, using AI to validate a new cancer vaccine on the IMMUpredict platform. In collaboration with TATUM Bioscience, we will conduct proof-of-concept experiments with novel anti-cancer vaccine compounds. Our platform will be available to Québec-based biotech and pharmaceutical companies, helping reduce risks in clinical transitions and improving the success of cancer vaccines.