Prestigious ERC Consolidator Grants 2025 for Prof. Leliaert and Prof. Lentacker

CRIG

(text based on the news item of Ghent University - read more)

Ghent University reaches an impressive milestone of 150 ERC grantees, thanks to four new ERC Consolidator Grant winners. Two of the new laureates are CRIG experts Prof. Ine Lentacker and Prof. Jonathan Leliaert, with projects that have important implications in oncology
 


THERMAGINE (Prof. Jonathan Leliaert): Faster magnetic nanoparticles for medical innovation and cancer therapy


Magnetic nanoparticles are currently used in medical imaging and "magnetic hyperthermia" in cancer therapy, among other applications. These applications require particles that respond strongly to an alternating magnetic field. However, the larger the particles, the slower their magnetization responds. At a certain point, they can no longer follow the magnetic field, causing the technology to fail.

The ERC project THERMAGINE is seeking a way to overcome this limitation. The idea is to couple conventional magnetic nanoparticles with antiferromagnetic materials. These materials have no measurable magnetization, but their internal magnetic movements are much faster. We are investigating whether they can act as a motor that accelerates the nanoparticles' behavior. This creates a combination that is currently unattainable: simultaneously responding strongly and quickly to a magnetic field.

To test this, THERMAGINE uses two advanced techniques. Using an extremely sensitive NV microscope, we measure the magnetic response of individual nanoparticles. We also perform large-scale simulations on a supercomputer to understand the underlying physics. Together, this should lead to new fundamental insights and improved medical applications of magnetic nanoparticles. For example, in cases of hyperthermia, a lower concentration of the newly developed nanoparticles could achieve greater and more controlled heat generation under the influence of smaller magnetic fields. This triple advantage therefore benefits both the safety and efficiency of the therapy.

 

MY-NANO (Prof. Ine Lentacker): Making cancer treatment more effective by reprogramming cells at the nano level


Persistent inflammation in cancer promotes the accumulation of myeloid cells, such as monocytes and neutrophils, within the tumor microenvironment. These cells often adopt immune-suppressive roles, limiting the effectiveness of immunotherapies like immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). 

Reprogramming myeloid cells toward pro-inflammatory, anti-tumor phenotypes is a promising strategy to restore immune function and improve cancer treatment outcomes. Lipid nanoparticles (LNPs), widely recognized for their success in mRNA vaccine delivery, offer a powerful platform for delivering genetic instructions to immune cells. Recent evidence suggests that myeloid cells actively interact with mRNA-LNPs and may play a key role in transporting them to inflamed tissues and tumors. Building on these insights, My-NANO aims to harness LNPs to modulate myeloid cell behavior in cancer by providing a fundamental understanding of their interactions with innate immune cells. 

This knowledge will enable the rational design of LNPs as a novel class of “myeloid cell therapeutics” to restore anti-tumor functions and enhance the effectiveness of immune checkpoint inhibition therapy for a broader population of cancer patients

 


Congratulations to Prof. Leliaert and Prof. Lentacker for these prestigious and exciting projects, that will further boost cancer research in Ghent!