Fc Engineering to target anti-tumour efficacy

生物制剂市场和单克隆抗体（mAb）是制药行业增长最快的领域，全球收入为100亿至250亿英镑。对它们的进一步发展至关重要的是更深入地了解它们的作用模式，并结合改进的技术，从而提供更安全、更有效的药物。我们的工业合作伙伴UCB正在开发基于单克隆抗体的新型药物，用于包括炎症和自身免疫性疾病在内的广泛治疗领域。UCB在抗体技术方面也有相当大的专业知识，包括它们的工程和表达。他们未来开发下一代改进试剂的关键是了解诸如补体和Fc受体等免疫效应机制如何在体内参与靶细胞表面。该项目将采用新技术，旨在更有效地针对癌细胞的预期目标进行免疫效应反应。它将涉及利用分子生物学、蛋白质工程、尖端免疫测定和体内模型开发和探索新的抗体平台和技术，最终促进更好治疗方法的开发。该学生将在UCB和南安普顿接受各种方法的培训，包括分子生物学、抗体表达和纯化、流式细胞术、组织培养、体内模型，并将受益于学术和行业监督。最后，该项目将提供学术界以外的“真实生活”体验，并更好地了解研究的转化和商业价值。

The Biologics market and monoclonal antibodies (mAb) in particular represent the fastest growing sector of the pharmaceutical industry with global revenues of > £25 billion. Critical for their further development is a deeper understanding of their mode(s) of action coupled to improved technologies which will deliver ever safer and more efficacious agents. Our industrial partner, UCB is developing novel mAb-based medicines across a broad range of therapeutic areas including inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. UCB also has considerable expertise in antibody technologies including their engineering and expression. Key to their future development of the next generation of improved reagents is an understanding of how immune effector mechanisms such as complement and Fc receptors are engaged at the target cell surface in vivo. This project will employ novel technologies designed to more effectively target the immune effector responses to the desired target on cancer cells. It will involve the development and exploration of novel antibody platforms and technologies using molecular biology, protein engineering, cutting-edge immunoassays and in vivo models, ultimately facilitating the development of better treatments.The student will receive training in a variety of methodologies both at UCB and Southampton including molecular biology, antibody expression and purification, flow cytometry, tissue culture, in-vivo models and will benefit from academic and industrial supervision. Finally, this project will give a 'real life' experience outside academia and create a better appreciation of the translational and commercial value of research.