The Metabolism and Cancer research group at the Josep Trueta Biomedical Research Institute of Girona (IDIBGI) and the Catalan Institute of Oncology (ICO) is starting a new project aimed at improving the efficacy of immunotherapy in cancer treatment. The main challenge in this field is to make treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICPIs) more accessible to patients, as currently more than 80% do not receive the desired benefits. To address this issue, the project will focus on understanding how tumour cell metabolism and diet-induced metabolic changes can influence the immune system's response to immunotherapy.

The project, funded by the Instituto de Salud Carlos III, aims to identify metabolic dependencies and dietary effects on the mechanisms that allow tumours to evade the immune system and resist immunotherapy. Using genetic screening techniques and mathematical modelling, the team will investigate how changes in nutrient intake can alter the efficacy of IPCIs and what molecular mechanisms are involved in this process.

One of the key points of the project will be the analysis of the interactions between the metabolism of tumour cells and the immune response, with the aim of developing personalised therapeutic strategies that can increase the number of patients who benefit from immunotherapy. The aim is to determine which nutrients can modify the expression of IPCIs and what is the best combination of treatments for each type of cancer.

This project is moving towards a new era of cancer treatment, based on a deeper understanding of the metabolic processes that allow tumours to evade the immune system. This is expected to open up new avenues for precision immunotherapy and increase the chances of a cure for cancer patients. Project PID2019-104055GB-I00 funded by the State Research Agency.