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Biomedicine Seminar

Martin Roelsgaard Jakobsen will present some of the work of his research group: “How STING may become a target for cancer eradication”.

29.11.2018 | Zitta Glattrup Nygaard

Dato tor 06 dec
Tid 12:00 13:00
Sted The Biochemistry Aud. 6, build. 1170-347

Abstract
STING (stimulator of interferon genes) is a central hub of our innate immune system. The STING pathway detects DNA accumulating in the cytoplasm from either infections, DNA damage responses or chromatin instability. The DNA detection mediates a series of events, leading to the induction of type I Interferon, cytokines and T cell recruitment factors. For years we have known that modulating the STING pathway is important for antiviral immunity, but lately it has emerged that STING signaling is also central for controlling anticancer immune responses. Depletion of STING results in limited activation of macrophages, dendritic cells and innate effector cells such as natural killer (NK) cells as well as reduced priming of tumor-specific T cells. This illustrates the potential of STING-targeting cancer immunotherapy and supports the concept that activating STING creates an environment that is conducive to T cell activation and systemic eradication of tumors in the body.
Here, I will discuss my lab recent discoveries and ongoing experiments aiming to manipulate the STING signaling pathway for cancer treatment and how we can integrate STING-targeting strategies combined with other therapies to obtain potent anticancer immunity. Our focus is to leverage the tumor itself to work as a “vaccine” by sensitizing the STING pathway, which enables increased tumor-specific immune responses that is unique to the treated individual. Such “immune reactivation” approach will become important in cancer patients that are found insensitive to existing immunotherapy. Venue: 

The talk will be of 45 minutes duration followed by 15 minutes of discussion.

It is possible to sign-up for coffee and cake before 4 December 2018.

The Biomedicine Seminar Organizing Committee
Line Reinert
Martin Thomsen
Søren Degn
Mikkel Vendelbo

Seminar, Forskning, Ph.d.-studerende, Institut for Biomedicin, Obligatorisk for alle medarbejdere, Institut for Biomedicin, Teknisk/administrativ medarbejder, Videnskabelig medarbejder