Team ATLAS, an international Cancer Grand Challenges team involving researchers from the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, NDM, has marked two early milestones: the publication of a position paper setting out the project’s scientific framework, and its first kick-off meeting, held in Paris.

The team includes Professor Xin Lu, Director of the Oxford Branch of the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, and Professor Chi Van Dang, CEO and Scientific Director of Ludwig Cancer Research. It has been awarded up to $25 million over approximately five years to tackle the cancer avoidance challenge: understanding why cancer arises, progresses or proves fatal in some people, while others with similar risks remain cancer-free.

In the paper, published in Cell, team ATLAS proposes that antibody repertoires – including autoantibodies that target components of the immune system – may help shape cancer immunosurveillance, the process through which immune responses identify and eliminate abnormal cells. These antibodies could influence whether emerging cancer cells are removed or escape immune control, and may also affect treatment response.

To investigate this, the researchers will compare antibodies found in cancer-free individuals, people at increased risk of cancer and patients with different cancers. Using technologies that can screen antibody responses against thousands of self, cancer-related and non-self antigens, they will build a comprehensive cancer antibody atlas. By comparing antibody profiles across these groups, the researchers aim to identify patterns linked to cancer avoidance, susceptibility, progression and treatment response.

The project is now under way following the Paris meeting, which brought together scientists, clinicians, patient advocates, funders and Cancer Grand Challenges coordinators. Discussions focused on the project’s scientific strategy, study design and approach to analysing how autoantibodies may contribute to cancer avoidance.

By mapping the antibody landscapes associated with cancer avoidance and outcome, team ATLAS hopes to identify signatures that could inform approaches to risk prediction, earlier detection and the selection or development of treatments.

To find out more about team ATLAS, visit their website, or read the full paper here. 

About Cancer Grand Challenges

Co-founded in 2020 by two of the largest funders of cancer research in the world: Cancer Research UK and the National Cancer Institute, Cancer Grand Challenges supports a global community of diverse, world-class research teams to come together, think differently and take on some of cancer’s toughest challenges. These are the obstacles that continue to impede progress and no one scientist, institution or country will be able to solve them alone. With awards of up to $25 million, Cancer Grand Challenges teams are empowered to rise above the traditional boundaries of geography and discipline to make progress against cancer urgently needed.  

Cancer Grand Challenges brings together 1,800 researchers and 21 teams from across the world to take on 18 challenges.