More than a decade has passed since the first immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) was approved for the treatment of advanced melanoma, marking the beginning of immunotherapies in cancer treatment. However, even in the best scenarios with a combination of ICIs and standard therapies, durable benefit is not achieved in about half of patients. Therefore, new approaches are needed on how best to exploit the potential of ICIs. The scientific aim of the ZAP cancer project is to determine how a local ablative technique, electrochemotherapy with BLM, CDDP or OXA induced immunogenic cell death (ICD), can be combined with gene electrotransfer of pDNA encoding ICIs to elicit a systemic anti-tumor immune response.

The ZAP cancer project plans to improve access to scientific excellence, optimize research management and accelerate the exchange of personnel, knowledge and ideas in the European Research Area (ERA) and the two participating institutions from the widening countries; the Institute of Oncology Ljubljana (IOLJ) and the Faculty of Health Sciences (FHS) of University of Ljubljana. ZAP cancer will expand the existing collaborative network with three leading European institutions: Institute of Pharmacology and Structural Biology, a department of the CNRS (IPBS-CNRS), Toulouse, France, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KUL), Leuven, Belgium, The Institute of Translational Pharmacology, Institute of the Italian National Research Council (CNR) and a new partner: The Medical University of Graz (MUG), Graz, Austria.

Through the proposed project, a multidisciplinary network of cancer research centers will collaborate to establish a state-of-the-art, high-throughput multi-omics in vitro and in vivo research platform at IOLJ and FHS that will provide them with valuable new expertise and knowledge that will enhance their potential for future successful applications at the European and international levels.

Objectives

The ZAP cancer project plans to improve access to scientific excellence, improve research management capabilities, expedite exchange of personnel, knowledge and ideas across European Research Area (ERA) and the two participating institutions from the widening countries; Institute of Oncology Ljubljana (IOLJ) and Faculty of Health Sciences (FHS) of University of Ljubljana.

ZAP cancer will build up the existing collaborative network with three leading European institutions: Institute of Pharmacology and Structural Biology department of the CNRS (IPBS-CNRS), Toulouse, France, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KUL), Leuven, Belgium, The Institute of Translational Pharmacology, Institute of the Italian National Research Council (CNR) and a new partner: The Medical University of Graz (MUG), Graz, Austria.

Through the proposed project, IOLJ and FHS will gain valuable new expertise and knowledge that will raise their potential for future successful applications at the European and international level. The project will have synergistic effect for the advanced partners as well, as their expertise will be applied in a new field of research; determining and manipulating the mechanisms of cell death after electrochemotherapy, to improve its efficacy in combination with gene therapy using plasmid DNA encoding immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI).

The main objective is to create a multidisciplinary network of cancer research centers that will set up a state-of-the-art, high-throughput, multi-omics in vitro and in vivo research platform that will be used to study the effects of ICD induced by electrochemotherapy on the activation of the anti-tumor immune response and implement it at IOLJ and FHS.

Figure 1: Concept of the ZAP Cancer project in vivo research.

"We are thrilled to embark on the 'ZAP Cancer' project, which positions the Institute of Oncology Ljubljana at the forefront of multilevel cancer research and innovation in cancer treatment. This initiative confirms our excellence in research and strengthens our strategic networking and collaborative efforts with top European research institutions. Our goal is to translate these cutting-edge research findings into clinical practice to ultimately improve outcomes for cancer patients worldwide," said Dr. Bostjan Markelc, project leader at the Institute of Oncology Ljubljana.     

Programme: HORIZON-WIDERA-2023-ACCESS-02

Coordinator: Institute of Oncology Ljubljana

Project duration: 36 months (October 2024- September 2027)

Partners: Faculty of Health Sciences of University of Ljubljana, Institute of Pharmacology and Structural Biology, a department of the CNRS (IPBS-CNRS), Toulouse, France; Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KUL), Leuven, Belgium; The Institute of Translational Pharmacology, Institute of the Italian National Research Council (CNR) and the Medical University of Graz (MUG), Graz, Austria.

Budget: 1.499.101 €

Contact:

Institute of Oncology Ljubljana

dr. Bostjan Markelc, project leader

email: bmarkelc@onko-i.si

“Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or European Research Executive Agency (REA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.”