A collaborative approach to characterizing tumour immune microenvironments with multiplex immunofluorescence

Mapping the tumour immune landscape to personalize immunotherapies

A team of researchers led by Drs. Amber Simpson (Queen’s University) and Lillian Siu (Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network) is hoping to develop a new technology to map the immune landscape of tumour cells, thanks to new funding from the Terry Fox Research Institute and the Marathon of Hope Cancer Centres Network.

The project, which is supported by the TFRI-MOHCCN Technology Development Awards, will focus on a technology called multiplex immunofluorescence, a technique that uses fluorescent markers to detect multiple proteins in a single tissue sample, helping scientists see how different cells and proteins interact spatially.

"Our project is akin to the work of astronomers who use powerful telescopes to map the universe," explains Dr. Simpson. "However, instead of telescopes, we use advanced microscopes to map the millions of cells within a tumour. Just as each object in space is unique, so too is every patient’s tumour, requiring us to create thousands of different tumour maps to fully understand their individual landscapes."

The research team is focused on two primary objectives: first, to generate high-quality cellular maps that can serve as references for comparing tumours across different patients; and second, to use these maps to identify biomarkers that can be developed into clinical tests. These tests would help doctors determine the most effective therapy for each patient's specific type of cancer.

The project brings together a collaborative network of experts and institutions, including Queen’s University, University Health Network, Sinai Health, and international partners such as the National Cancer Institute and Johns Hopkins Hospital. By leveraging two complementary platforms for generating tumour maps, the team aims to validate these technologies across their respective institutions.

Once validated, these tools could then be adopted by institutions across the network, giving scientists and clinicians across the country a new type of data that can then be paired with genomic, transcriptomic and clinical data to try to determine why certain patients respond to immunotherapies, paving the way to more personalized treatments.

"Our ultimate goal is to provide the MOHCCN with sound guidance and best practices for implementing this cutting-edge technology," says Dr. Siu. "This will not only advance our understanding of tumour immune microenvironments but also help develop the next generation of clinical biomarker tests for precision immunotherapy."

The significance of this project lies in its potential to transform precision medicine for cancer by giving researchers and clinicians fundamental insights into the tumour immune microenvironment. This will make them better equipped to select tailor-made treatments for each patient at any given time during their cancer treatment journey and could lead to more effective, personalized therapies that significantly improve patient outcomes.

"Our work will allow for a new way of characterizing patient tumours, offering deeper insights into their cancer and enabling more personalized treatment approaches," says Dr. Simpson. "This is a significant step forward in our quest to provide better, more effective cancer care for all Canadians."