Laboratory of Macromolecular Cancer Therapeutics (MMCT)
Research mission
A major focus of research at our Laboratory of Macromolecular Cancer Therapeutics (MMCT) is the development of nucleic acid based drugs for the treatment of pathologies like cancer. By using relevant oncological models, the carriers are evaluated both in vitro and in vivo. In close collaboration with clinical research groups the application for distinct tumor entities is optimized.
MMCT Lab news
Our most recent paper by Magdalena Billerhart and collegues just got accepted in Molecular Therapy Oncolytics! The paper has been published open access, i.e. freely availabel to everybody.
Tumor cells are transfected with plasmid encoding for a fusion protein with a CD47-binding and -blocking moiety (CV1) and a strongly immune activating Fc domain (hIgG1) (1). The protein is expressed and secreted by the tumor cell (2) and blocks CD47 on the cell surface of transfected and also adjacent tumor cells (3). The distal Fc moiety attracts macrophages and other immune cells (4), which then eradicate the tumor cells (figure modified from Billerhart et al, CC BY 4.0 licence).