Cells constantly interact with the cells around them. In cancer, these interactions can influence how immune cells respond to tumours and what happens around cells when treatment causes them to die.
Studying these interactions in greater detail can help researchers understand how cells respond to cancer and treatment.
In the final story of Inside the Synergy Projects 2026, we highlight two projects supported through the Alpe d'HuZes/KWF Fund. One studies how a type of immune cell recognises and attacks tumour cells. The other looks at how dying cells affect neighbouring cells.
How do immune cells recognise tumour cells?
Gamma-delta T cells are immune cells that naturally patrol tissues and can enter tumours. They can recognise and kill tumour cells, but there is still much to learn about how they identify them and establish the contact needed to attack.
Oncode Institute researchers Gabriel Marsères (The Netherlands Cancer Institute) and Tom Evers (AMOLF) are investigating this process in TARGET-gd: defining and therapeutically targeting the CADM1-CRTAM axis to boost Vδ1 T cell tumor-reactivity.
The researchers recently identified a receptor that helps these immune cells establish stable contact with tumour cells and become activated. The team will use advanced microscopy to observe this interaction in real time and study the role the receptor plays.
The project aims to better understand how gamma-delta T cells recognise and interact with tumour cells and what this could mean for cancer immunotherapy.
What happens to nearby cells when a cell dies?
When cells die, they release signals that can affect the cells around them. Depending on how a cell dies, these signals can trigger different responses, including inflammation and tissue repair. How nearby cells respond is still not well understood.
Oncode Institute researchers Tobias Ackermann (Amsterdam UMC) and Daan van Soest (The Netherlands Cancer Institute) are studying this communication in Spatial proteomics of cell death responses – shared pain or neighbourhood gain.
The team will develop methods to measure proteins in individual cells and study how cells close to a dying cell respond. They will also investigate which signals are involved and how far they can travel.
The project aims to better understand how tissues respond to cell death and how these responses may affect cancer treatment.
What the researchers say
Meet the researchers behind these collaborations and discover what excites them most about their projects.
TARGET-gd: defining and therapeutically targeting the CADM1-CRTAM axis to boost Vδ1 T cell tumor-reactivi
Gabriel Marsères
“γδ T cells have fascinated me throughout my PhD and postdoctoral work because we still know remarkably little about how they recognize and eliminate tumor cells. With this collaboration, we will be able to combine cutting-edge imaging with cell engineering to turn mechanistic insights into improved γδ T cell therapies.”
Tom Evers
“Developing potent immunotherapies that can treat a wide range of cancers has been a major driving force for me. γδ T cells represent an underexplored but highly promising avenue, and this project allows us to uncover their mechanisms with the ultimate goal of turning them into effective new therapies.”
Spatial proteomics of cell death responses – shared pain or neighbourhood gain
Tobias Ackerman
“This project will help us build a more complete picture of how different types of cell death affect nearby cells. By uncovering how dying cells communicate, we aim to identify new signaling pathways and better understand their effects on health and disease, especially in the context of cancer.”
Daan van Soest
“This project will help us understand how different types of cell death affect nearby cells in tumors, while also advancing methods to study proteins at the level of individual cells. These methods will be valuable for future cancer research projects.”
About the Oncode Synergy Projects 2026
Inside the Synergy Projects 2026 is a series highlighting the collaborative research projects supported through the Oncode Synergy Projects 2026 programme. Supported through the collaboration between Alpe d'HuZes, KWF and Oncode Institute, the programme brings together Oncode researchers from different institutes and disciplines to develop innovative approaches to cancer research.