Mechanobiologische controle van immunogene celdood door bio-polymeren voor kankertherapie

Immunogenic cell death (ICD) combines the ability to both kill cancer cells and simultaneously activate anti-tumor immunity, and it involves ferroptosis, which represents an efficient strategy. One of the main bottlenecks for ICD is effective induction of uptake of dying cancer cells undergoing ICD by phagocytes. In unpublished research applying a new tool, atomic force microscopy, we have discovered that the elasticity of ferroptotic cancer cells is crucial for their uptake by phagocytes. At the same time and based on our particle coating technology, we have found a way to control mechanical properties of cells by coating them with biopolymers. Here, we aim to unravel the role of mechanobiology and elasticity of ferroptotic cancer cells on their uptake, and, ultimately, on immunogenicity. Overall, this project is expected to have a profound impact on developing novel strategies to increase the immunogenicity of ferroptosis, while enabling novel approaches in immunotherapy in general.