ERAP modulation as an innovative strategy for cancer treatment

• Scientific Background

Paula hold a Bachelor of Sciences in biomedical sciences by University of Sevilla in Spain (2014-2018). As a part of her bachelor’s thesis, she participated in a research project in the Laboratory of Advanced Therapies and Biomarkers at Instituto de Biomedicina de Sevilla (Sevilla, Spain). Afterwards, she spent 6 months in Brodnica (Poland) participating in a European Voluntary Service helping disabled people with different activities and workshops in a day care centre. Between 2019 and 2021, she completed her Master of Sciences in Translational Immunology and Biotherapies at Sorbonne University (Paris, France). She participated in two different research projects in the Laboratory of Molecular Dynamics of the Immune Response at Charles University (Prague, Czech Republic) as a part of the Erasmus+/EU+ Alliance program, and in the Laboratory of Integrative Cancer Immunology at Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers (Paris, France).

• CAPSTONE project
  

This project will focus on understanding the role of ERAP1 aminopeptidase in the tumour immune microenvironment of cold and hot mouse models, and how its modulation can be exploited to make tumors more responsive to immunotherapy. Specifically, the immunopeptidome and tumor immune microenvironment will be studied in ERAP1 genetically (CRISPR/Cas9) or pharmacologically inhibited neuroblastoma and melanoma using different technological approaches. This project will be carried out in the team led by Dr. Fruci in the Oncohaematology Research Centre of the Ospedale Pediatrico Bambino Gesù (OPBG) in Rome, Italy. During the project, I will have the opportunity to collaborate with ESR10, which will study how modulation of antigen processing can be exploited to induce effective NK cell-mediated anti-tumor immune responses.

• Supervisory team

Dr. Doriana Fruci

• Contact

paula.grageraalvarez[at]opbg.net

• More on Paula's project