Vibrational spectroscopy in cell therapy

Cell therapy is an emerging field that involves the administration of live cells or cellular material to patients to treat various diseases or conditions, such as CAR T cell therapy (chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy) for the treatment of certain liquid tumors such as leukemia and lymphoma. Unlike conventional drugs, cell therapies present unique challenges in terms of quality control, manufacturing, and biosafety. In particular, they may induce immune responses in recipients leading to adverse events or reduced therapeutic efficacy.

To address this complexity, we are investigating the use of spectroscopic techniques, as Raman and Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy in cell therapies, covering the entire process from quality control during cell production to monitoring patient progress during treatment. By combining spectroscopy with artificial intelligence (AI), our aim is to provide valuable insights into the composition, structure, and activity of therapeutic cells. The information gathered will pave the way for the development of safer, more robust, and ultimately better treatments for patients.

This project is carried out in collaboration with the Health Research Institute Biodonostia – Molecular Oncology, the University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU – IbeA, the University of Navarra – Tecnun, and the company Biokeralty.