I-DireCT | Immune DIREcted and Cancer-selective immunoTherapy

Summary
I-DireCT is a European Industrial Doctorate (EID) training network designed to provide training and carry out breakthrough research on the rapidly expanding and high impact field of cancer immunotherapy in a carefully integrated academic and inter-sectoral programme. Hereby, we aim to develop next-generation immunotherapeutics and deliver a set of early stage researchers uniquely qualified for a career in academia and/or industry.

Current immunomodulatory antibodies that target pivotal immune checkpoints have revolutionized the field of oncology. However, off-tumor activity limits their application. The objective of I-Direct is to address this issue by 1. developing innovative bispecific antibodies and immunocytokines with tumor-restricted immunostimulatory effects and 2. developing optimized delivery systems to ensure optimal timed release of bio-active drug. Hereto, I-DireCT combines state-of-the-art industrial design of nanotech-based drug formulations with innovative academic and industrial immunotherapeutic concepts into the next-generation of cancer immunotherapeutics.

At the core of I-DireCT is its training objective to offer a cutting-edge multidisciplinary training programme that will enable outstanding young scientists to generate breakthrough ideas and assume leading positions in academia and industry. This training programme includes an array of disciplines, ranging from biomedical sciences (e.g. immunology, antibody engineering) and physical sciences (e.g. chemistry, material science) to drug design & development.

Industrial partners are central to the programme and provide pivotal inter-sectoral expertise on how to translate scientific discoveries into commercial reality, with each ESR being appointed at an inter-sectoral partner for 18 months, as well as through additional secondments. Further, I-Direct will enable long-term multi-disciplinary research and fosters bilateral co-operations between academia and industry.
Unfold all
/
Fold all
More information & hyperlinks
Web resources: https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/813871
Start date: 01-01-2019
End date: 30-09-2023
Total budget - Public funding: 2 532 975,22 Euro - 2 532 975,00 Euro
Cordis data

Original description

I-DireCT is a European Industrial Doctorate (EID) training network designed to provide training and carry out breakthrough research on the rapidly expanding and high impact field of cancer immunotherapy in a carefully integrated academic and inter-sectoral programme. Hereby, we aim to develop next-generation immunotherapeutics and deliver a set of early stage researchers uniquely qualified for a career in academia and/or industry.

Current immunomodulatory antibodies that target pivotal immune checkpoints have revolutionized the field of oncology. However, off-tumor activity limits their application. The objective of I-Direct is to address this issue by 1. developing innovative bispecific antibodies and immunocytokines with tumor-restricted immunostimulatory effects and 2. developing optimized delivery systems to ensure optimal timed release of bio-active drug. Hereto, I-DireCT combines state-of-the-art industrial design of nanotech-based drug formulations with innovative academic and industrial immunotherapeutic concepts into the next-generation of cancer immunotherapeutics.

At the core of I-DireCT is its training objective to offer a cutting-edge multidisciplinary training programme that will enable outstanding young scientists to generate breakthrough ideas and assume leading positions in academia and industry. This training programme includes an array of disciplines, ranging from biomedical sciences (e.g. immunology, antibody engineering) and physical sciences (e.g. chemistry, material science) to drug design & development.

Industrial partners are central to the programme and provide pivotal inter-sectoral expertise on how to translate scientific discoveries into commercial reality, with each ESR being appointed at an inter-sectoral partner for 18 months, as well as through additional secondments. Further, I-Direct will enable long-term multi-disciplinary research and fosters bilateral co-operations between academia and industry.

Status

SIGNED

Call topic

MSCA-ITN-2018

Update Date

28-04-2024
Images
No images available.
Geographical location(s)
Structured mapping
Unfold all
/
Fold all
Horizon 2020
H2020-EU.1. EXCELLENT SCIENCE
H2020-EU.1.3. EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)
H2020-EU.1.3.1. Fostering new skills by means of excellent initial training of researchers
H2020-MSCA-ITN-2018
MSCA-ITN-2018