Unlocking Hidden Brain Cancer Vaccine Targets

Researchers from the University of Hong Kong and the Hong Kong Genome Institute announced they have built the most comprehensive map of isoform diversity in glioblastoma using long-read single-cell sequencing. The study analyzed more than 210,000 cells from 27 patients and was published in Nature Communications. The team identified thousands of previously unannotated isoforms found exclusively in tumor cells and absent from healthy tissues. A subset of these tumor-specific isoforms is predicted to bind strongly to MHC class I molecules, suggesting they may serve as potential neoantigens for immunotherapy. Dr Aya El Helali said the research provides a validated analytical framework for clinical long-read single-cell transcriptomics. Dr Brian Chung Hon-yin said the discovery expands the pool of candidate neoantigens for personalized cancer vaccines and opens the door to more precise treatment strategies. Professor Gilberto Leung Ka-kit said the project demonstrates Hong Kong's capability to generate impactful translational genomics research.