Advancing T cell–based cancer therapy with single-cell technologies

To accelerate the development of T cell–based immunotherapies that are effective for more patients with cancer, there is an urgent need to decipher the precise attributes of the ideal therapeutic T cell. In March 2021, the Parker Institute of Cancer Immunotherapy and 10x Genomics partnered to bring together a group of T cell immunotherapy researchers and single-cell-technology innovators for a day’s workshop. Participants evaluated the current cutting edge of knowledge, identified areas for focused technology development, and put forward a call to action to the field. Insights were provided on how to best leverage single-cell technologies and key areas for future development were proposed — with the goal of facilitating a better understanding of T cell research and translation of this research into effective cancer immunotherapies. The key points of discussion that emerged from this workshop are summarized here.