Engineered Nanomaterials as Adjuvants to Boost Neuroblastoma Vaccine Efficacy

Objective

Neuroblastoma (NB) is a rare, aggressive malignancy primarily affecting children under the age of 5. Despite significant advancements in treating NB, the disease remains a formidable challenge. A promising approach for NB treatment is the development of therapeutic cancer vaccines with innovative nanomaterial-based adjuvants. When used as adjuvants, nanomaterials offer several advantages, including efficient migration to lymph nodes, improved antigen presentation by dendritic cells, and cross-presentation to cytotoxic T cells. Numerous ongoing clinical trials for NB vaccines are investigating the combination of multiple adjuvants to enhance immune responses against target antigens. NANO-ADJUVANT focuses on developing innovative nanomaterial-based adjuvants, incorporating immune-stimulating elements to enhance anti-tumor immune responses. Using my expertise in nanomaterial formulations, I will develop novel selenium-based nanoparticles incorporating manganese and zinc. These nano-adjuvants will be designed to elicit balanced antibody and cell-mediated immune responses when combined with tumour-associated peptides. Mentor, Dr Piskareva’s experience in NB will be utilised for in vitro and in vivo studies to assess vaccine efficacy. During a secondment to Vall d’Hebron Research Institute (VHIR), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Spain, I will perform the preclinical evaluation of vaccine efficacy in a NB mouse model under the guidance of Dr Segura. To characterise anti-tumour immune response at the molecular and cellular level, I will use the expertise of Centre for Systems Medicine (CSM) in my host institution (RCSI) by performing scRNA-seq and bioinformatics analysis. NANO-ADJUVANT aligns with Europe's Beating Cancer Plan, which prioritises improving outcomes for children with cancer. By developing innovative adjuvant formulations, NANO-ADJUVANT contributes to enhancing NB treatment and improving patient's quality of life.