Michelle von Locquenghien

Studying the relationship between cancer and the immune system led to development of immunotherapies, including targeted checkpoint molecules and CAR-T therapies, that have revolutionized cancer treatment.

In 2019, I joined the Cancer Program at Cancer Stem Cells and Metastasis Lab at Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute (IMIM) with the goal to overcome immunotherapy resistance in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) metastasis by unraveling how breast cancer stem cells (CSCs) facilitate to escape immune surveillance during tumor progression and immune checkpoint blockade.

Cancer immunotherapies have recently been very successful in generating long-lasting disease control in the clinic. When activated through T cell receptor (TCR)-stimulation, T cells undergo metabolic reprogramming that is challenged in case of low availability of nutrients. To find ways to overcome the inhibitory effect of tumor microenvironment on T cells, we performed a CRISPR knock-out screen in primary CD8 T cells to identify genes that enhance T cell fitness under limiting nutrient conditions.

Overall, we will study interplay between choline and cellular metabolism. As a result of this project, we will identify not only main metabolites regulated in response to choline levels, but also key genetic nodes crucial for choline-dependent growth. In the future, these genes may be exploited in cancer therapy.

Bachelor Thesis “Induction of DISE (Death Induced by Survival Gene Elimination) in mouse cancer cells” • Transfection of Cancer Cells with siRNAs & Measurements of Cell Growth via IncuCyte • Establishment of Mouse Model and fluorescent Biosensors • Creation of CD95 deficient murine Cancer Cells via CRISPR/Cas9 System

• Experiments with Microgels in a two-phase System to validate Theory on Henschke • Analyzed Data from Experimentation of Gas Chromatography & UV-VIS Spectrometry • Captured Substance data of Poly(N-isopropylacrylamids) & presented Results and Modeling to Process Engineering Team