Project

ICI

Multi-omics approach for the identification of non-invasive biomarkers of host and tumor response to immune checkpoint inhibitors in advanced lung cancer patients
Application Areas
Research Areas
Research Lines
Staff
WEBSITE

ITB Principal Investigator

Name

Multi-omics approach for the identification of non-invasive biomarkers of host and tumor response to immune checkpoint inhibitors in advanced lung cancer patients

Acronym

ICI

Location

Segrate

Start Date

2023

End Date

2026

Funder

Next Generation EU - MUR (PRIN2022)

Partners

Università degli Studi di Siena, Siena (Italy); Fondazione IRCCS San Gerardo dei Tintori, Monza (Italy); Istituto Clinico Humanitas IRCCS, Rozzano (MI) (Italy); ASST Fatebenefratelli-Sacco, Milan (Italy); Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan (Italy); ASST Ovest Milanese, Ospedale di Legnano, Legnano (MI) (Italy); Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan (Italy)

Despite major advances in lung cancer treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI), many patients do not respond to immuotherapy or experience immune-related adverse events. Careful patient selection is essential to avoid ineffective and costly treatments. In non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), response rates to ICI remain low (around 20% in second-line therapy). This project aims to identify predictive biomarkers of ICI response in NSCLC patients using a high-throughput multi-omics approach. We will analyze germline polymorphisms, blood transcriptome signatures, and genetic variants in circulating tumor DNA (cfDNA) from NSCLC patients treated with nivolumab, pembrolizumab, atezolizumab, and cemiplimab. By integrating genomic and transcriptomic data, we seek to uncover mechanisms of efficacy and toxicity, identify robust prognostic biomarkers, and guide personalized therapeutic strategies.
  • Esposito M, Noci S, Minnai F, Camboni T, Mangano E, Gariboldi M, Frullanti E, Bareggi C, Collovà E, Girelli S, Piva S, Farina G, Pagliaro A, Toschi L, Sala L, Cortinovis DL, Colombo F. Regulatory polymorphisms of MSH6, MSH2, FBXO11, and PPP1R21 genes affect survival of patients with immunotherapy-treated lung cancer. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1136/jitc-2025-011526
  • Rina A, Maffeo D, Minnai F, Esposito M, Palmieri M, Serio VB, Rosati D, Mari F, Frullanti E, Colombo F. The Genetic Analysis and Clinical Therapy in Lung Cancer: Current Advances and Future Directions. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers16162882