T-RAFIC – Tracking and controlling therapeutic immune cells in cancer

T-RAFIC is a scientific network comprising 13 academic and four industrial partners from nine European countries. Its mission is to train the next generation of experts in the field of cell therapies of cancer.

A structured training program will bring together all DC for scientific meetings, skill development workshops, career events and international conferences. Additionally, the DC will undertake several secondments at different institutions within the network to gain specialized knowledge and acquire essential methodologies for their research projects.

Cancer immunotherapies have been established in a growing number of clinical indications and the pace of development is massively accelerating. Currently over 6.000 clinical trials are investigating immune-related treatments in oncology especially in combinations. It includes both adoptive cellular therapies and immune modulating treatments such as immune check point blockade. In contrast, the understanding of how such therapies mediate their mode of action is still mostly poorly understood. In particular, the role of distribution and relocation of immune cells after therapeutic interventions remains unknown. T-RAFIC will enhance understanding of immune cell trafficking under therapeutic influence. It will open new paths and avenues to treatments, boost their efficacy and help prioritizing the plethora of immune therapeutic combinations. T-RAFIC joins forces of 13 academic and four industrial partners from nine European countries to conduct an innovative and interdisciplinary approach combining cell imaging with bioinformatics, cell engineering and clinician expertise. The network bundles recognised expertise in cancer immunotherapies, empowering European research and innovation and ensuring a sustainable cooperation in science and training.