Work Package 1 - Development of novel academic ATMP manufacturing concepts
WP 1 aims to transform academic CAR-Ts Point-of-Care (POC) manufacturing technologies by developing tailored scalable manufacturing solutions with integrated biosensors for raw materials such as lentiviral vector, gene editing tools such as Cas9, as well as a versatile ATMP manufacturing platform including delivery systems for gene-editing tools, such as optoporation and/or photoporation and tailored nanoparticle delivery.
Work Package 2 - Development of next-generation academic CAR-Ts to overcome immune suppression
WP2 aims to develop next-generation CAR-T concepts that can overcome immunosuppression, e.g., by incorporating target antigen-restricted production of tumour-selective checkpoint inhibitors, by developing gene-edited CAR-T in which key negative regulators have been silenced, as well as nanoparticle-mediated tumour-localized release of immunostimulatory drugs to drive a local immunostimulatory microenvironment
Work Package 3 - Training
WP3 aims to coordinate the training activities of InnoCAR-T, including supervision of recruitment of Doctoral Candidates (DC), organisation of the InnoCAR-T Summer School, monitoring of the network’s training workshops, mini conferences and secondments, and centralisation of the training credits for each DC.
Work Package 4 - Dissemination & Communication
WP 4 ensures coherent external communication of InnoCAR-T activities, progress and achievements and the optimal management and exploitation of research outcomes and resulting Intellectual Property (IP). Key objectives are to a) create visibility and encourage project outreach; b) coordinate dissemination, knowledge, and innovation activities as part of a specific dissemination strategy; c) foster innovation and exploitation of results.
Work Package 5 - Management
WP 5 safeguards the smooth implementation and coordination of InnoCAR-T by providing optimal orientation to all partners through the set-up of effective management & communication structures, guidance and support; ensuring transparency to consortium partners and EC through proper project documentation, and facilitating the timely achievement of high-quality project results through scientific and administrative coordination.
Supervisory Board
The Supervisory Board (SB) is responsible for decisions concerning the successful recruitment across participating institutions; potential re-allocation of researcher-months in the case of a partner failing to recruit successfully; allocation of short-term/secondment travel grants; grants to external participants based on applications and scientific merit; allocation and spending of the centralised training budget for training, schools, courses and conferences; monitoring ethical considerations of animal experiments and on-going research efforts. Finally, the SB will ensure that the complimentary strengths of the network partners are optimally exploited.