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ITAC Network in Immunology
The ImmunoTherapies Network project, Autoimmunity and Cancer (ITAC), is one of the nine Major Areas of Interest (DIM) selected by the Scientific Council of the Île-de-France Region for the 2022–2026 period. It is coordinated by Prof. Caroline Robert, head of the dermatology department, Inserm research director at Gustave Roussy, and professor at Paris-Saclay University, and Prof. Xavier Mariette, head of the rheumatology department and Inserm research director at Kremlin-Bicêtre Hospital (AP-HP). Its goal is to create the first integrated ecosystem focused on immunology, bringing together experts from various disciplines: cancer, autoimmune diseases, and immunotherapy.
The DIMs are designed to support research on promising, transformative, and innovative projects, as well as to enhance the appeal of laboratories in the Île-de-France region, across all scientific fields. ITAC aims to become the leading immunology hub at the intersection of three fields: cancer, autoimmune diseases, and immunotherapy.
Immunotherapies have become the “gold standard” for treating many cancers. However, these therapies can trigger autoimmune diseases through a mirror effect, since some of these autoimmune conditions are treated with immunosuppressive therapies that can lead to cancer. ITAC’s primary objective is to support and bring together a network of experts in the Île-de-France region capable of addressing the common challenges posed by the advent of cancer immunotherapies and of gaining a better understanding of autoimmune diseases.
A three-pronged research approach focused on artificial intelligence modeling
To explore the immunological mechanisms (common or opposing) involved in carcinogenesis and responses to cancer immunotherapy, as well as in inflammatory autoimmune diseases associated with an increased risk of cancer. One of the expected objectives is to identify immunological signatures in cancerous, inflammatory tissues, and healthy tissues, and to be able to predict, for a given patient, their risk of developing an autoimmune reaction during immunotherapy and the risk of cancer in patients treated with immunosuppressants for an autoimmune disease.
Diagnostic and therapeutic innovations based on the use of new cancer modeling tools, such as organoids or spheroids derived from tumors or target organs in autoimmune diseases. Innovative cell culture techniques will be used to design and test new anticancer or anti-inflammatory immunotherapies on a large scale.
The implementation of clinical trials evaluating new immunotherapies or new combinations with, for example, anti-inflammatory cytokines (TNF, IL-6, IL-13) will enable the development of anticancer or immunologically targeted treatments.
Artificial intelligence modeling will integrate all clinical, biological, and environmental parameters through the involvement of mathematicians, data scientists, and epidemiologists using deep learning methods applied to data shared and collected as part of the DIM. The goal will be to develop models capable of predicting treatment responses and their side effects.
Creation of a clinical and biological database and two experimental platforms
To build this ecosystem of multidisciplinary experts, the initial projects aim to create two experimental platforms open to the network’s partner research teams and a database:
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Digital Research Infrastructure
A digital research infrastructure for immuno-oncology and autoimmunity, coupled with a highly characterized biological collection. -
Immunological Analysis Platform
A state-of-the-art immunological analysis platform focused on transcriptomic, epitranscriptomic, metabolomic, and proteomic analysis of tissue samples from patients with cancer or autoimmune diseases who have developed cancer. -
ITAC Interoperable Database
The creation of an ITAC interoperable database (retrospective and prospective). This is one of the program’s key projects. It will promote research in immunotherapy and foster cross-fertilization between the two application areas—oncology and autoimmune diseases—by integrating existing databases. Deployed in participating centers, this database will evolve dynamically over time by incorporating insights from epidemiological, environmental, and nutritional data. It is designed to be open to national and European initiatives.
ITAC brings together:
- 4 major research organizations: Inserm, CNRS, CEA, and INRAe.
- 4 institutions of higher education: Paris Saclay University, Centrale-Supélec, the University of Paris, and Sorbonne University.
- Eight hospitals: Bicêtre, Paul Brousse, Saint Louis, Saint Antoine, Pitié Salpêtrière, Cochin, the Curie Institute, and Gustave Roussy, as well as Unicancer.
- Approximately 40 academic and industrial laboratories, biotechnology companies, competitiveness clusters, and about 30 patient associations are also involved to foster synergies among leading translational and clinical research teams.