DPhil research focus: Laila Latifi and the LynchVax cancer prevention vaccine programme
8 October 2026
Laila Latifi is a second-year DPhil candidate in the Cancer Science Programme, supported by the Kidani Memorial Trust and Cancer Research UK. She is currently contributing to the LynchVax cancer prevention vaccine programme.
Colorectal precancers, and how the immune system responds to them, are poorly understood. Laila is studying the role of T cells – immune cells with the ability to both recognise and clear unhealthy cells – in colorectal precancers and cancers. She is mapping the architecture of T cell populations in these tissues, drawing novel comparisons to deepen our fundamental understanding of the disease biology. With INTERCEPT-Lynch, her work will expand to analysing how the dynamics of these T cell responses are modulated by vaccination.
What is Lynch Syndrome?
Lynch Syndrome (LS) is the most common hereditary cancer syndrome, impacting approximately 1 in 300 people worldwide [citation 1 below]. LS carriers have up to an 80% lifetime risk of developing cancer – most often colorectal, endometrial, and upper GI cancers [citation 2].
LS carriers inherit mutations in the genes responsible for repairing mistakes in our DNA. In LS carriers, the routine DNA replication process is prone to errors, and these mutations can accumulate over time, increasing the likelihood that some cells will become cancerous.
The LynchVax team
Led by Professor David Church, the LynchVax team of Oxford researchers has found that the mutations associated with LS arise early, during the precancerous stage. Furthermore, they have shown that the immune system has the potential to respond to vaccine targets derived from these mutations. These factors make LS a good candidate for a preventative cancer vaccine.
The INTERCEPT-Lynch clinical trial
The University of Oxford and biotechnology company Moderna are collaborating to test mRNA-4194, a novel mRNA-based vaccine for LS carriers. The objective of the vaccine is to train immune cells to recognise and eliminate precancerous cells, preventing them from transforming into cancer.
The LynchVax team has dedicated three years to investigating the mutational landscape of LS-associated cancers and assessing the immune response to the vaccine targets. In June, Phase 1 of the INTERCEPT-Lynch clinical trial received authorisation from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, and the study is now open for recruitment.
The INTERCEPT-Lynch clinical trial marks a key milestone in the field of cancer prevention, exploring how mRNA vaccination may be able to address previously unmet need.
For further information, see the recent BBC feature, visit the LynchVax website or contact the LynchVax project manager.
Citations:
- Win AK, Jenkins MA, Dowty JG, et al. Prevalence and penetrance of major genes and polygenes for colorectal cancer. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2017;26(3):404-412. doi:10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-16-0693
- Hampel H, Frankel WL, Martin E, et al. Screening for the Lynch syndrome (hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer). N Engl J Med. 2005;352(18):1851-1860. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa043146