French Team Receives Funding to Study Cancer Resistance Mechanisms
The Atlas team aims to understand why some individuals remain cancer-free despite high risk exposure, supported by a significant international grant.
A French research project has secured funding from the prestigious Cancer Grand Challenges program to explore why certain individuals, including centenarians, do not develop cancer despite being exposed to high-risk factors. The Atlas team, led by Dr. Paul Bastard from the pediatric immuno-hematology-rheumatology unit at Necker-Enfants Malades Hospital in Paris, is among the latest recipients of this international grant, which can provide up to $25 million to its laureates. This funding allows researchers to focus on their studies without financial constraints.
Research Focus
The Atlas project seeks to identify protective factors that prevent cancer development in individuals who are at high risk. The team is particularly interested in studying centenarians and twins where one has developed cancer while the other has not. Their hypothesis centers on the role of autoantibodies—antibodies that target elements of the body itself—in modulating the immune system's ability to either promote or inhibit tumor growth. Previous work by team members has linked autoantibodies to the severity of COVID-19.
Collaborative Effort
This oncology project emphasizes collaboration among clinicians, researchers, and patient representatives from eight institutions across six countries. The expertise involved spans immunology, multi-omics, pediatrics, aging, prevention, and the relationship between infections and cancer. The Atlas project does not aim to discover the causes of cancer but rather to leverage the body's natural responses to prevent its onset. Scientists believe that the immune system can recognize cancer cells, and the memory of these immune responses may persist in the antibodies found in the blood. The team will investigate autoantibodies that may help avoid cancer, potentially transforming our understanding of immune surveillance in tumor formation and identifying new tumor antigens and immune errors linked to autoantibodies that promote cancer development.
