Harnessing mRNA for more targeted cancer treatment

Two AIBN researchers are using mRNA technology to make cancer immunotherapy more precise – directing powerful immune treatments to tumours and increasing responses to mRNA vaccines.

Their work has received new support from Tour de Cure, an Australian charity with the mission to cure cancer.

Dr Liam O’Brien has received a $50,000 Early Career Researcher grant to advance a targeted immunotherapy approach, while his PhD student Hannah Tompkins has received a $10,000 PhD scholarship top-up to support her work on mRNA cancer vaccines.

Both researchers are part of AIBN’s MRFF-funded Personalised mRNA cancer Immunotherapy Hub led by Associate Professor Seth Cheetham.

Tackling different challenges, both researchers are harnessing mRNA technology to help the immune system recognise and attack cancer more effectively.

Delivering targeted immunotherapy

Cytokines are messenger molecules used by immune cells to communicate and co-ordinate immune responses.

Some are already approved to use clinically and are incredibly potent in destroying tumours.

However, that potency comes with a challenge: they can also be extremely toxic to healthy cells.

Dr Liam O’Brien is using mRNA technology to create a cytokine therapy that can be delivered to the whole body but is primarily active at tumour sites, eliminating tumours without the damage to healthy tissue.

“We have used mRNA to engineer synthetic cytokines which stay attached to cancer cells, reducing unwanted spread of toxicity through the body,” Dr O’Brien said.

"We are combining these synthetic cytokines with antibodies to target tumours directly, concentrating the immunotherapy where it’s needed most.

“Our goal is simple but ambitious – to make cytokine therapy safer.

“We want to remove the toxicity that has hampered cytokine immunotherapy for decades.

“I am extremely grateful to Tour de Cure for this funding which enables us to develop new immunotherapies. Every dollar of support goes directly toward this goal.“

Making cancer cells visible

Ms Tompkins’ PhD project is focused on creating mRNA cancer vaccines for patients who don’t respond to existing cancer treatments.

Unlike many cancer drugs that act outside cells, mRNA vaccines are delivered inside of cells where they provide the instructions to produce a drug.

This technology is harnessed to create new immunotherapies, which enhance our body’s natural defence against cancer.

However, some cancer cells can ‘hide’ from the immune system by switching off the genes that make them visible to immune cells.

“I am using mRNA technology to help make those cancer cells visible again, so the body can recognise and attack them,” Ms Tompkins said.

“Through this project, we aim to develop effective and safe drug candidates that can improve immunotherapy outcomes for resistant cancers.

“This generous Tour de Cure scholarship will support my development as a researcher by enabling me to attend an international conference to share my research findings and collaborate with leaders in the field.”

Together, the projects highlight how mRNA technology is being explored beyond infectious disease vaccines, as a platform for more precise, personalised and powerful cancer immunotherapies.