Activities
The Laboratory of Immunomonitoring in Oncology (LIO), created at the end of 2014, is a translational research unit. The main objective of the laboratory is to identify blood or tumor biomarkers that can predict the response or resistance to anti-tumor immunotherapies, as well as the emergence of some immunological adverse effects that may be linked to these treatments. Another objective is to understand the mechanisms of action of anti-tumor immunotherapies.
The LIO is specialized in the evaluation of immunological profiles and the functional analysis of lymphocyte subpopulations in real-time in fresh samples. We monitor and characterize the immune responses following the administration of immunomodulatory therapeutic products (antibodies blocking immune checkpoints, agonist monoclonal antibodies, cytokines, etc.) in cancer patients.
In collaboration with industrial partners, the LIO is involved in the preclinical evaluation of immunotherapies in order to understand their mechanism of action, but also to predict the most effective therapeutic combinations to treat patients.
Skills and expertise
The LIO has developed and validated a standardized 10-color cytometry using lyophilized panels (DuraClone®, Beckman Coulter), making it possible to quantitatively and qualitatively monitor most populations of the immune system in the context of clinical trials in whole blood samples or fresh tissue biopsies.
The LIO performs functional tests for ex-vivo re-stimulation of PBMCs or lymphocytes infiltrating tumors.
The LIO has developed expertise in the analysis of innovative immunotherapies in preclinical murine models under scientific contracts with industry.
In addition, the LIO is developing its own research projects in order to better understand the functional role of some immune populations in the efficacy or resistance to anti-tumor immunotherapies.
Services provided
- Phenotypic characterization of different immune populations in blood, PBMCs and tumor tissues
- Functional characterization of different immune populations
- Multiplex quantification of soluble factors in plasma, serum and culture supernatants
- Flow cytometry data analysis
- Custom interpretation of experimental data according to requests from academic or industrial collaborators
- Development of new cytometry panels (up to 13 colors) and functional tests in collaboration with project leaders
- Advice on antitumor immunology
- Advice on the development of research projects on anti-tumor immunotherapy
