Engineering a new type of synthetic CAR-T cell receptor directed by biostable XNA aptamers

Life uses a limited set of chemical building blocks to form its genetic material; what if molecules could be designed and evolved using a broader range of backbones than DNA or RNA? In our lab, we use test-tube evolution of synthetic XNA polymers to explore this question. In principle, XNAs can adopt 3D structures with functions beyond nature’s biochemistry, offering a wealth of tools for research and medicine. In this project we will explore engineering synthetic ligands (chemical antibodies aka ‘aptamers’) and nanostructures from biocompatible and chemically-robust XNAs, with the aim of using these to modulate the anti-tumour activity of CAR-T cells.