Breaking Through Cancer’s Soft Defense: A Revolutionary Swiss Approach
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Swiss researchers from EPFL, University of Geneva, and HUG hospitals are pioneering a groundbreaking strategy to overcome immunotherapy resistance by targeting cancer cells’ physical properties rather than their biology. The project received a CHF 1,4 million grant from Foundation Leenaards.
“Our approach targets the mechanical properties of cancer cells by making their membranes stiffer, which improves the ability of T-cells to attach to the cancer cells and destroy them,” says Prof. Li Tang from EPFL’s Laboratory of Biomaterials for Immunoengineering. “This could pave the way to more effective treatments for patients who are currently immunotherapy resistant.” He heads this research group alongside Prof. Camilla Jandus from the Department of Pathology and Immunology at the University of Geneva’s Faculty of Medicine (UNIGE) and Prof. Olivier Michielin, chief of oncology at HUG.
Current immunotherapy works by boosting patients’ immune systems to fight cancer, but many tumors develop resistance mechanisms. The Swiss team discovered that soft, flexible cancer cell membranes prevent T-cells—our immune system’s guardians—from properly attaching and destroying malignant cells.
Their solution? Make the membranes rigid. When cancer cells lose their soft, plastic properties, T-cells can successfully bind to tumors and inject cytotoxic agents that destroy them.
The cross-disciplinary research combines mechanics, biology, and clinical practice. Scientists will identify membrane-stiffening agents, test them with patient blood samples and animal models, while analyzing tumor biopsies to establish links between membrane stiffness and treatment outcomes.
This mechanical approach could revolutionize cancer treatment for patients currently resistant to immunotherapy, potentially improving existing therapies while helping develop personalized treatments based on new biomarkers. By targeting physical vulnerabilities rather than just biological ones, the research opens entirely new therapeutic horizons in the fight against cancer.
➡️ Source: Fondation Leenaards | 📸 © Fondation Leenaards / Alban Kakulya. From L to R: Prof. Camilla Jandus, Prof. Li Tang and Prof. Olivier Michielin