“Researching the Role of Bacteria in Colorectal Cancer Immune Response with Subsidy Schild-De Groen Fund”

Subsidy Schild-De Groen Fund for research into the role of bacteria in the immune response of colorectal cancer patients.

LUMC Pathology researcher Jessica Roelands received a project grant from the Leiden University Fund | Schild-De Groen Fund. She will use the money to study how bacteria in the gut influence the immune response of people with colorectal cancer. She wants to use this to improve the treatment of this group of patients.

Studies show that bacteria in the gut affect how cancer patients respond to immunotherapy. But exactly how these bacteria influence the immune response and cancer growth is still unclear. This requires in-depth analysis of the tumor.

If it becomes clear how the presence of specific bacteria and the activation of immune cells are related, this will open the door for the development of new immunotherapies and new treatment options targeting specific bacteria for colon cancer.

Roelands will use innovative techniques in this project, including imaging mass cytometry (IMC) and spatial gene expression technology, with which she can map tumor tissue, immune cells and bacteria. She received an amount of € 22,103.00 for the project.