Dr Hui-Fern Koay
The University of Melbourne
$445,000
2025 - 2028
The Research
While immunotherapies have successfully treated blood cancers, they struggle with solid tumours.
Our project targets these challenges by using a specialised, under-utilised subset of immune cell called Mucosal Associated Invariant T (MAIT) cells. Unlike conventional T cells, MAIT cells are tissue-homing T cells, and can effectively attack cancer cells without worrying about genetic differences between donors and recipients, making them universally applicable.
Our project aims to develop innovative treatments by combining our expertise in MAIT cell biology with advanced techniques to produce nanobodies-small, highly specific antibody fragments. These nanobodies will i) engage MAIT cells to target and destroy solid tumours, or ii) act as 'bait-and-trap' engagers on the tumour cell surface to activate anti-tumour immune cell activity.
This research aims to develop a powerful, targeted cancer therapy that works across a wide range of cancers, offering a safe, accessible, and equitable treatment option for many solid cancer patients.
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