Westmead Dermatology By: Jessica Qiao
Hello! My name is Jessica Qiao, and I am currently studying a Bachelor of Science and Doctor of Medicine degree at the University of Sydney. When I have free time, I am most likely watching true crime videos or listening to podcasts. I also love watching mystery and psychological thriller films and shows.
This semester, as a Dalyell student, I will be undertaking a research project under the guidance of Dr Ali Azimi and Prof Fernandez-Penas. In this project, I will be looking to identify targets for chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cell therapy in skin cancers. Australia has one of the highest incidence rates of skin cancers in the world. CAR-T cell therapy is a form of immunotherapy that has been successful in targeting and eliminating many cancer cells. With CAR-T cell therapy, altered T-cells are directed to target cell membrane antigens that are expressed in cancer cells to kill them. However, there is more research needed to identify potential CAR T-Cell therapy targets in skin cancers.
In my project, I will be evaluating proteomics data from melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancers to identify potential tumour cell’s surface antigen that could be targeted by CAR T-Cell therapy. Then, there will be a need to assess for the potential risk of toxicity of the identified surface antigens by checking their expression levels in normal tissues. By the conclusion of the project, it is hoped that targets for CAR T-cell therapy that are unique to melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancers will be identified.
