Stéphanie Herkenne, FNRS qualified researcher in the Mitochondria laboratory in cellular communication (MICC) of the University of Liège has just been awarded an audacious medical grant 2025 for her innovative work in the field of immunotherapy against cancer, and her project “reprogram tumor communication: divert extracellular vesicules for an immunotherapy New generation anticancer ”.
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he project carried by Stéphanie Herkene opens a daring path in anticancer therapy by diverting the secretory machinery of tumor cells and by reprogramming extracellular vesicles (EVS) to transform the tumor microenvironnement of a pro-cancer state into an aggressive anti-tumor battlefield. “True mediators of intercellular communication, EVS are exploited by cancer cells to escape immune surveillance and promote malignancyexplains the researcher. We focus on mitochondria, revealing its unsuspected role in biogenesis and the function of EVS. “
The team’s research work made it possible to demonstrate that EVS derived from cancer cells with altered mitochondria induce in several tumor models a recruitment of unprecedented immune populations and reshape the immune landscape. “By dissecting the molecular mechanisms by which mitochondria influences the secretion and loading of EVS, we seek to understand how these vesicles reprogramly the immune responses and promote tumor eradication. Our cutting-edge cytometry analyzes reveal a selective neutrophil, eosinophile and sub-population enrichment Unprecedented macrophagics in response to purified EVS of cells with altary mitochondria, regardless of the adaptive immune system “.
These results suggest a rupture mechanism where tumor EVS orchestrate innate immune responses. The team also explores how mitochondria regulates endosomal fate and the lipid/protein composition of EVS, thus opening new targets for therapeutic interventions. By redirecting the secretory path, we aim to transform the EVS into new generation anti -cancer immunotherapy.
This disruptive approach, supported by a patent (EP23204476.8), establishes a new border in oncology by exploiting the tumor’s own communication system to lead it to its destruction.
Through this distinction, Stéphanie Herkene joins the ranks of researchers who, by their creativity and thoroughness, redraw the boundaries of the fight against cancer. A well -deserved recognition for a therapeutic approach that could change the situation in oncology.
Stéphanie Herkene is the fourth scientist of the Uliège to be assigned this funding after Laurent Nguyen (oncology 2024), Michaël Herfs (Oncology, 2023) and Laurent Gillet (Infectiology, 2022).
About the Medical Hearing Grant
Audacious Medical Grant (AMG) is an instrument of financing supporting biomedical research projects which are original and daring, but which are not supported by traditional systems due to the lack of preliminary data, the absence of previous work or an unusual methodology. The term “daring” means that there is a significant risk that the project only takes little or no tangible scientific results because of its original character or its complexity.
