Super-resolution microscopy for immune checkpoint inhibitors diagnostics

Introduction

In the last decade, super-resolution microscopy techniques have emerged as powerful quantitative tools for biology. They have capabilities to visualize single molecules at the nanoscale, opening the door to study biological processes at a level not accessible before.

Project Overview

In the ERC StG NANOSTORM, we showed the potential of these techniques, providing new fundamental knowledge on the mechanism and design of new targeted therapies. However, some of the methods we developed have the potential to be translated into applied clinical diagnostic tools.

Objectives of NANODIAGNOSTIC

In NANODIAGNOSTIC, we would offer a proof-of-concept of the application of super-resolution microscopy and single-molecule imaging for cancer diagnostics, with a focus on:

1. Patient stratification for immunotherapy.
2. Development of new diagnostic methods.

Immunotherapy Context

Novel advances in immunotherapies have brought the development of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) that re-activate the immune system against the tumor. Despite the high success of these therapies, there is one main challenge:

• They are only effective on a limited portion of patients, and current diagnostic approaches are not capable of stratifying patients successfully.

Potential Impact

NANODIAGNOSTIC will translate advanced optical methods from an academic setting to the clinic and holds great potential to provide new diagnostic methods to improve the outcome of immunotherapy.