Elucidating mechanisms of plasma-induced immunogenic cancer cell death and determining efficacy to elicit anti-tumor immunity: An experimental and computational study

Cancer is still a major healthcare issue and many conventional therapies overlook the role of theimmune system in the resolution of this disease. Non-equilibrium plasma is emerging as a novelcancer treatment. Promising results showed that plasma can kill cancerous cells and stimulateimmune cells, but experiments have largely been in vitro. To address this, we will perform in vivomouse experiments to validate therapeutic efficacy of plasma and assess immune responsesrequired to eliminate cancer. While treatment may be efficacious, the underlying mechanisms ofplasma cancer therapy are not fully understood. When plasma is generated, a complexenvironment of electric fields, ultraviolet light, charged particles and neutral species is produced.To date, it is unclear which plasma components and reactive species play the major role in cancertherapy. Therefore, we will also delineate the components of plasma that elicit anti-cancerresponses. In addition, we will develop a computational model that will predict the behavior ofplasma-generated species in liquid, as cells and tissue are treated in the presence of liquid. Thiswill be compared to chemical analysis of plasma-treated liquid for validation and establishment ofcrucial species for cancer therapy. Altogether, this project will support development of plasmatechnology for cancer immunotherapy and provide insight into the underlying mechanisms.

Keywords:PLASMA CHEMISTRY, PLASMA, CANCER CELLS, IMMUNE SYSTEM

Disciplines:Applied mathematics in specific fields, Classical physics, Physics of gases, plasmas and electric discharges, Physical chemistry, Immunology, Morphological sciences, Oncology