Development of an in vivo liver cancer model for immunotherapy validation

Many liver cancer cases are diagnosed at advanced and inoperable stages, at this point, the disease is highly lethal and most patients do not survive more than a year. Currently, the front-line treatment for inoperable liver cancer is antibody-based immunotherapy, but only 30% of patients respond to this therapy. Our lab has developed a lipid nanoparticle (LNP) formulation that is capable of targeting an immune-boosting drug to the liver, aiming to potentiate the approved antibody immunotherapy and increase the response rate and survival. Currently, my home lab does not have a liver cancer model that allows me to examine the efficacy of our LNP therapy. I will learn how to establish a reliable liver cancer model in mice in Japan and establish the model in UBC to complete my MSc project.

Faculty Supervisor:

Shyh-Dar Li

Student:

Partner:

Tokushima University

Discipline:

Life Sciences

Sector:

Pharmaceuticals; Health and Related Sciences & Technology; Biotechnology

University:

The University of British Columbia

Program: