CHOP Researchers Unveil Nanoparticle Platform for Cancer Immunotherapy

The platform, dubbed VLP-Open HLA, functions by displaying protein fragments that CD8+ T cells—the body's primary disease-fighting immune cells—use to identify threats. Unlike current laboratory methods that require weeks to grow specialized immune cells, this system can be reconfigured quickly to test multiple targets in parallel. The findings, published in the journal Science Advances, suggest a new pathway for developing personalized cancer vaccines.

Nikolaos G. Sgourakis, a professor at CHOP’s Center for Computational and Genomic Medicine, noted that the system successfully activates T cells in both laboratory cell lines and human blood samples. Because the technology is compatible with the diverse range of HLA protein variants found in the human population, it holds potential for tailoring T cell therapies to an individual patient’s specific tumor profile. The research was supported by a coalition of organizations, including the National Cancer Institute, Cancer Research UK, and The Mark Foundation for Cancer Research.