Exploring how nerves and metabolism shape immune responses in liver cancer

Nabil Djouder

Fundación del Sector Público Estatal Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Oncológicas Carlos III, Spain

Liver cancer is a severe disease that is often linked to chronic liver damage, metabolic stress and weakened immunity, which can make existing treatments less effective. Recent findings suggest that neural signalling may also influence liver repair and immune-cell behaviour after damage. This project aims to understand whether nerve damage or metabolic stress alters these signals in ways that favour liver cancer growth.

The researchers will study how communication between nerves, liver cells and immune cells influences inflammation, tissue repair and tumour development. A team with expertise in liver disease, cancer biology, immunology and metabolism will combine experimental models and human liver samples to investigate whether restoring or modifying these signals can improve the immune response against liver cancer.

The project could help characterize a new biological pathway in cancer involving not just tumour cells but also nervous and immune signals that shape their environment. This pathway may serve as a target for developing affordable, personalised treatments for liver cancer, potentially in combination with immunotherapy.

Decoding autonomic glutamate control of macrophage immunity in liver cancer

€500,000.00