Systems Cancer Immunology

The main focus of the Systems Cancer Immunology (SCI) group is the role of immune system in the development of Myeloid Malignancies. We use cytometry (i.e CyTOF) and OMICS such as single cell RNA sequencing to identify specific immune signatures for the prediction of disease progression and response to treatments.

Members

Rosa Andrés Ejarque

Research associate

Rita Antunes dos Reis

Research Assistant

Desmond Choy

Bioinformatician

Alessandra Ferrelli

PhD Student

Shahram Kordasti

Reader and Group Leader in Applied Cancer Immunopathology

Giulia Maggioni

Visiting Research Associate

Nicolas Sompairac

Research Associate

The role of immune system in the pathophysiology of Myeloid Malignancies

The main focus of the Systems Cancer Immunology Group is the role of immune system in the development of Myeloid malignancies and the interaction between the immune system and malignant clones. We use Flowcytometry (both conventional and mass cytometry (CyTOF)) as well as OMICS approaches such as single cell RNA sequencing to identify specific immune signatures for the prediction of disease progression and response to immunosuppressive and immunomodulatory treatments. We are also investigating the off-target effects of non-immunomodulatory medication on immune system in different cancers including myeloid malignancies. Integrated with molecular tools that target immune signalling pathways, we are looking for potential therapeutic applications.

Integrated IMMUnoprofiling of large adaptive cancer patients cohorts (IMMUcan)

IMMUcan proposes an inclusive and integrated European immuno-oncology platform. IMMUcan will access high-quality human biological material (tissue, blood, stool and saliva) and clinical data from patients with colorectal, lung, head & neck, breast, gastric cancers and immune checkpoints inhibitors failures. The project will perform in depth immunoprofiling with cutting edge technologies including CyTOF, single cell RNA-seq, peptidogenomics or microbiome analysis. IMMUcan will analyze the data in order to understand the host/tumour interaction in the absence of treatment (naïve population) and with treatment (patients in follow-up) to identify potential predictive biomarker for response to immunotherapy or develop rationale for combination therapies. IMMUcan will provide an IT platform and legal/ethical contractual framework where participants from both academia and industry can pursue their own independent investigations utilizing the IMMUcan data and effectively testing and improving the functioning and relevance of the database.

IMMUcan

Chronic myeloid leukaemia patients at diagnosis and resistant to tyrosine kinase inhibitor therapy display exhausted T-cell phenotype
Harrington, P., Dillon, R., Radia, D., McLornan, D., Woodley, C., Asirvatham, S., Raj, K., Curto-Garcia, N., Saunders, J., Kordasti, S., Harrison, C. & de Lavallade, H., Sep 2022, In: British Journal of Haematology. 198, 6, p. 1011-1015 5 p. Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review. DOIs: https://doi.org/10.1111/bjh.18302
Hostile Takeover: Tregs expand in IFN-γ-rich AML microenvironment
Ferrell, P. B. & Kordasti, S., 15 Jul 2022, In: Clinical cancer research : an official journal of the American Association for Cancer Research. 28, 14, p. 2986-2988 3 p. Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review. DOIs: https://doi.org/10.1158/1078-0432.CCR-22-1030
Factors affecting COVID-19 outcomes in cancer patients: A first report from Guy's Cancer Centre in London.
Russell, B., Moss, C., Papa, S., Irshad, S., Ross, P., Spicer, J., Kordasti, S., Crawley, D., Wylie, H., Cahill, F., Haire, A., Zaki, K., Rahman, F., Sita-Lumsden, A., Josephs, D., Enting, D., Lei, M., Ghosh, S., Harrison, C., Swampillai, A. & 4 others, Sullivan, R., Rigg, A., Dolly, S. & Van Hemelrijck, M., Sep 2020, In: Clinical Cancer Research. 26, 18 Research output: Contribution to journal › Meeting Abstract › peer-review
Inhibition of Immune Cell Subsets Is Differentially Affected By Dasatinib Dosage in Patients with Chronic Phase CML
Harrington, P., Dillon, R., Radia, D. H., McLornan, D. P., Rousselot, P., Rezvani, K., Kordasti, S., Harrison, C. & de Lavallade, H., 5 Nov 2020, In: Blood. 136 Research output: Contribution to journal › Meeting Abstract › peer-review. DOIs: https://doi.org/10.1182/blood-2020-139501
Immunocluster: A Computational Tool to Explore the Immune Profile and Cellular Heterogeneity of Hematological Diseases Using Liquid and Imaging Mass, and Flow Cytometry Data
Timms, J. A., Opzoomer, J. W., Blighe, K., Apollonio, B., Mourikis, T., Chapuis, N., Bekoe, R., Ramsay, A. G., McLornan, D. P., Harrison, C., Barber, P. R., Parker, P., Fontenay, M., Arnold, J. N. & Kordasti, S., 5 Nov 2020, In: Blood. 136 Research output: Contribution to journal › Meeting Abstract › peer-review. DOIs: https://doi.org/10.1182/blood-2020-140258
The impact of COVID-19 in the cancer population stratified by age: A real-world data study from Guy's Cancer Center.
Sylva, R., Russell, B., Moss, C., George, G., Palmer, K., Shah, V., Ko, T. K., Kalsi, T., Harari, D., De Michele, L., Kordasti, S., Crawley, D., Wylie, H., Cahill, F., Haire, A., D'Souza, A., Gomberg, S., Kulasekararaj, A., Van Hemelrijck, M. & Dolly, S., Mar 2020, In: Clinical Cancer Research. 27, 6 Research output: Contribution to journal › Meeting Abstract › peer-review
Large Scale Internet-based Survey of Patients With a Myeloproliferative Neoplasm: Opinions and Experiences Regarding SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) Vaccination Strategies in 2021
Saunders, J., Curto-Garcia, N., Sriskandarajah, P., O'Sullivan, J., Woodley, C., Asirvatham, S., Campbell-Drew, M., Mathias, J., Ellis, T., Baker, N., Radia, D. H., Ali, S., Kordasti, S., Harrington, P., de Lavallade, H., McLornan, D. P. & Harrison, C. N., Jul 2021 Research output: Other contribution. DOIs: https://doi.org/10.1097/HS9.0000000000000609
Clinical application of flow cytometry in patients with unexplained cytopenia and suspected myelodysplastic syndrome: A report of the European LeukemiaNet International MDS-Flow Cytometry Working Group
van de Loosdrecht, A. A., Kern, W., Porwit, A., Valent, P., Kordasti, S., Cremers, E., Alhan, C., Duetz, C., Dunlop, A., Hobo, W., Preijers, F., Wagner-Ballon, O., Chapuis, N., Fontenay, M., Bettelheim, P., Eidenschink-Brodersen, L., Font, P., Johansson, U., Loken, M. R., te Marvelde, J. G. & 15 others, Matarraz, S., Ogata, K., Oelschlaegel, U., Orfao, A., Psarra, K., Subirá, D., Wells, D. A., Béné, M. C., Della Porta, M. G., Burbury, K., Bellos, F., van der Velden, V. H. J., Westers, T. M., Saft, L. & Ireland, R., 2021, (Accepted/In press) In: Cytometry Part B - Clinical Cytometry. Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review. DOIs: https://doi.org/10.1002/cyto.b.22044
Flow cytometric analysis of myelodysplasia: Pre-analytical and technical issues—Recommendations from the European LeukemiaNet
van der Velden, V. H. J., Preijers, F., Johansson, U., Westers, T. M., Dunlop, A., Porwit, A., Béné, M. C., Valent, P., te Marvelde, J., Wagner-Ballon, O., Oelschlaegel, U., Saft, L., Kordasti, S., Ireland, R., Cremers, E., Alhan, C., Duetz, C., Hobo, W., Chapuis, N., Fontenay, M. & 16 others, Bettelheim, P., Eidenshink-Brodersen, L., Font, P., Loken, M. R., Matarraz, S., Ogata, K., Orfao, A., Psarra, K., Subirá, D., Wells, D. A., Della Porta, M. G., Burbury, K., Bellos, F., Weiß, E., Kern, W. & van de Loosdrecht, A., 2021, (Accepted/In press) In: Cytometry Part B - Clinical Cytometry. Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review. DOIs: https://doi.org/10.1002/cyto.b.22046
Erratum: Repeated vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 elicits robust polyfunctional T cell response in allogeneic stem cell transplantation recipients (Cancer Cell (2021) 39(11) (1448–1449), (S1535610821005444), (10.1016/j.ccell.2021.10.002))
Harrington, P., Doores, K. J., Saha, C., Saunders, J., Child, F., Dillon, R., Saglam, S., Raj, K., McLornan, D., Avenoso, D., Kordasti, S., O'Reilly, A., Espehana, A., Lechmere, T., Khan, H., Malim, M. H., Harrison, C., Mehra, V. & de Lavallade, H., 13 Dec 2021, In: CANCER CELL. 39, 12, p. 1654 1 p. Research output: Contribution to journal › Comment/debate › peer-review. DOIs: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ccell.2021.11.011

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Projects

Evaluation of the CD4+ T cell tumour microenvironment of low grade B cell lymphoproliferative disorders

MRC - Medical Research Council
Patten, P., Ng, T., Kordasti, S.
£194,584.00
1/10/2019 → 30/09/2022
Project: Research › Research Grant

IMMUcan: Integrated IMMUnoprofiling of large adaptive CANcer patients cohorts
EC - European Commission
Ng, T., Kordasti, S., Irshad, S. I.
£14,977,200.00
1/03/2019 → 31/08/2024
Project: Research › Research Contract

Comparison of the immune signature in haemolytic paroxysmal nocturnal haemoglobinuria (PNH) with aplastic anaemia (AA)/PNH and the effect of immunosuppression or C5 blockade on the frequency of CD1d restricted T cells
Aplastic Anaemia & MDS International Foundation
Kordasti, S.
£19,350.00
1/07/2015 → 31/08/2018
Project: Research › Research Grant

Immunogenesis of the myelodysplasia of the stem and progenitor cells
Bloodwise
Mufti, G., Coats, T., Kordasti, S.
£250,940.00
2/09/2015 → 1/09/2018
Project: Research › Research Grant Fellowship

Immune dysregulation in bone marrow failure syndromes: implications for pathogenesis and clonal evolution.
Bloodwise
Mufti, G., Farzaneh, F., Thomas, S., Kordasti, S.
£2,527,412.00
1/10/2010 → 31/12/2018
Project: Research › Research Grant

The role of MSCs derived inflamation in the pathogenesis of myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN) and leukaemic transformation
CRUK - Cancer Research UK
Kordasti, S.
£148,700.00
23/09/2019 → 22/09/2023
Research Grant Studentship

New Directions in Immuno-Oncology Conference

This International Cancer Immunology Conference supported through the Cancer Research UK (CRUK) Centre Network and the Experimental Cancer Medicine Centres (ECMC) Network. Our intention is to bring together a broad cross-section of the community of researchers and clinicians working at the cutting edge of immune-oncology interventions and their stratified application. The conference will cover both the immediate and longer-term prospects in the development pipeline and the means through which we might better determine effective deployment of these interventions, including technology platforms and the ‘big data’ analytical hurdles.