“Cancer cells in the liver bribe our immune cells” Ït’s not enough to focus on a patient’s tumor alone: the environment in which it grows is important too. The liver, for example, is a special organ. Its job is to filter out foreign substances, such as alcohol. This unique function makes traditional immunotherapy challenging for patients with liver cancer. In my research, we developed animal models that mimic this situation. With these models I was able to explore how different types of immune cells can be used to attack the tumor. To my surprise, I discovered that tumor cells had found a way to ‘bribe’ a certain type of immune cell known as myeloid cells, by emitting a molecular signal that stopped the attack. When we disrupted this signal, the immune cells started doing their job again: the tumors grew more slowly, and the animals lived longer. I never dreamed of being able to contribute to research like this. Growing up in Curaçao, I rarely came into contact with science. My PhD journey also inspired me to raise money for cancer research by running; a great way to clear my head while working toward a goal.”
Christel Ramirez, one of the first PhD candidates from the Leila Akkari lab, will defend her thesis on October 15.
prof. dr. K.E. de Visser
dr. L. Akkari