The ZonMw Open Competition is for curious minds and innovative collaborations. The program encourages creative, groundbreaking science that emerges when disciplines reinforce each other. It is intended for researchers from two or more disciplines who together shape Team Science. Those who want to be selected must not only excel in science. Sharing results and practical application also count.
In search of more effective anti-tumor therapies
The microenvironment of pancreatic cancer consists of a complex network of tumor cells, connective tissue and immune cells. That environment is constantly changing and contributes to immune suppression-the suppression of immune responses. Professor of Molecular Cell Biology and Immunology Yvette van Kooyk and colleagues are investigating how abnormal sialylation (the addition of sugar molecules to proteins) can further weaken defenses. This is because certain sugars bind to so-called Siglec receptors on immune cells, making those cells less active. By better understanding this mechanism, the researchers hope to contribute to new, more effective anti-tumor therapies.
Immunotherapy: why do some people get side effects and others don't?
Immunotherapy is a promising treatment for advanced cancer, but is sometimes accompanied by serious side effects. This is when the immune system attacks not only the tumor, but also healthy organs-such as the heart. In a collaboration of pulmonologists, cardiologists, immunologists and bioinformaticians, Febe van Maldegem and colleagues at Erasmus MC are investigating why these unwanted immune reactions occur in some patients. Using mouse models, patient tissues and advanced technology, they are looking for mechanisms behind this autoimmunity. Their goal: to make immunotherapy safer, without losing its effectiveness.