£150,000 grant supports immunotherapy research at University of Glasgow

A £150,000 grant from Beatson Cancer Charity is helping University of Glasgow researchers within the Translational Pharmacology and Immunology (TPI) Biomarker Hub, headed by Professor Maria Libera Ascierto, to improve how we use immunotherapy, in particular immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs).

PICTURED: University of Glasgow Researchers

While ICIs can be lifesaving, not all patients respond the same way, and some experience serious side effects.

This project will use advanced blood testing technology, called spectral flow cytometry, to monitor patients’ immune systems in real time using blood samples collected from clinical trials.

By understanding how each person’s immune system reacts to treatment, doctors can better predict who will benefit from ICIs alone and who might need extra therapies.

The research will focus initially on three types of cancer (melanoma skin cancer, triple negative breast cancer and liver cancer) and aims to reduce unnecessary side effects while paving the way for more personalised, effective treatments.