UCF researcher Alicja Copik is powering up the human body’s own “natural killer” cells to fight pediatric cancers. NK cells are the body’s first line of defense against infections and malignancies. The team has used nanoparticle technology and genetic engineering to make these cells into better-armed cancer killers.
Copik is studying if removing a molecular “brake” cancer cells use to avoid being killed can enhance NK cell anti-tumor power. The approach is showing strong results in killing neuroblastoma cell lines, the most common cancer in infants. NK cell therapy comes with very few side effects, and NK cells can be donated by a patient’s family, friends, or even strangers without the new cells attacking the recipient’s healthy cells.
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