Our research
Current cancer treatments rely on effective antibiotics to control infections during neutropenia induced by heavy chemotherapy. The increasing incidence of antibiotic-resistant microorganisms thus threatens to compromise one of the pillars supporting modern cancer therapies. We are developing novel methods to employ terminally differentiated neutrophils to combat severe antibiotic-resistant infections in neutropenic patients.
In addition to our ongoing efforts to investigate the treatment of already established infections in neutropenic patients, we are also exploring the differentiation of neutrophil progenitors from stem cells. The effective pre-emptive use of neutrophil progenitors as a cell therapy holds the promise of decreasing the use of prophylactic antibiotics and preventing breakthrough infections. Decreasing antibiotic usage is desirable, as disruptions in gut microbiota following antibiotic treatment have been shown to decrease the potency of immunotherapies. This is likely due to disturbed microbiome-host interactions, which are required for effective T cell responses.
Neutrophils comprise a large part of the immunce cells that infiltrate solid tumors. And we strive to endow neutrophils with CAR-receptors that endow them with the ability to kill tumor cells directly by phagocytosis and indirectly by potentiating the anti-tumor effect of other immune cells like T cells by upending the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment with Reactive Oxygen Species and pro-inflammtory cytokines.
Several hurdles still need to be overcome before we witness broad implementation of CAR Neutrophils in cancer treatment and pre-emptive neutrophil progenitor transfusion to replace prophylactic antibiotics, and we are actively working on addressing these challenges. Collaborators include our Principal Investigator Petter Höglund (HERM), Hong Qian (HERM), and Joel Nordin (KI).