Killing efficiency of cytotoxic T lymphocytes and natural killer cells against cancer cells (A11*)

• Subject Area: Biophysics
• Term: since 2021
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 200049484

Killer cells of the immune system eliminate cancer cells. Cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) and natural killer (NK) cells are the two main killer cell types in the human body. A11 has developed quantitative single cell killing assays for human CTL and NK cells which allow kinetic analyses and distinguish cancer cell apop-tosis, necrosis and combined forms. These assays will be used to analyze the killing efficiencies of individ-ual CTL and NK cells, quantify the mode of cancer cell death, and analyze CTL and NK cells simultaneously to understand potential cooperativities.

• DFG Programme: Collaborative Research Centres
• Subproject of: SFB 1027: Physical Modelling of Non-Equilibrium Processes in Biological Systems
• Applicant Institution: Universität des Saarlandes
• Project Head: Professor Dr. Markus Hoth