Lab of Cancer Signaling - Uliège

11/03/2026

💡 What if we could make tumors reveal themselves to the immune system? 💡

Our lab is very happy to share a new paper published in Nature Communications, where we explore a new way of stimulating antitumor immunity by targeting tRNA-dependent protein synthesis in melanoma.

Tumor cells rely on extremely precise protein production to maintain protein quality and remain invisible to immune surveillance. In our study, we show that disrupting a key tRNA modification controlled by the KEOPS complex subtly perturbs translation fidelity.

The consequence is striking: cancer cells begin accumulating misfolded proteins that activate innate immune sensing pathways such as RIG-I. This stress signal ultimately converts immune-resistant “cold” tumors into T-cell infiltrated “hot” tumors with strongly reduced growth in preclinical models.

👇 https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-026-69964-2

🙏 Beyond the science, this work reflects a fantastic collaborative effort.

I was particularly happy to work again with Sylvain Delaunay, a former fellow from my lab, on this story. A huge congratulations to Clea DZIAGWA, Télévie-supported PhD student and first author, whose dedication and perseverance made this work possible.
Many thanks to our collaborators at GIGA ULiège - ULiège Recherche & Innovation Université de Liège, the CRUK MI , and DKFZ German Cancer Research Center for their important contributions.

‼️ This research was supported by Fondation contre le Cancer, Research Institute, FNRS Télévie, Fondation Léon Fredericq, Fondation Hospitalo-Universitaire à Liège- Université de Liège ULiège Recherche & Innovation

☀️ Proud of the team and grateful to everyone who helped make this project happen.

Pierre Close
Lab of Cancer Signaling - GIGA ULiège

👏 Une découverte prometteuse contre le cancer

L'équipe de Pierre Close a identifié une nouvelle stratégie pour aider le système immunitaire à combattre les tumeurs. L'idée : perturber légèrement la production de protéines des cellules cancéreuses.

Résultat : les tumeurs produisent des protéines défectueuses qui agissent comme un signal d’alerte, déclenchant une réponse immunitaire comparable à celle observée lors d’une infection virale. Les cellules immunitaires peuvent alors infiltrer et attaquer la tumeur.

Dans des modèles de mélanome, cette approche a permis de transformer des tumeurs habituellement « invisibles » pour l’immunité en tumeurs reconnues et combattues par l’organisme.

🧬 Cette étude publiée dans Nature Communications, ouvre de nouvelles pistes pour renforcer les immunothérapies et traiter des cancers résistants.

Envie d'en savoir plus ? ➡️ https://www.giga.uliege.be/cms/c_13664006/fr/transformer-la-machinerie-du-cancer-en-moteur-de-l-immunite

Université de Liège | ULiège Recherche & Innovation | Fondation Léon Fredericq, Fondation Hospitalo-Universitaire à Liège | FNRS | Télévie | Fondation contre le Cancer

17/10/2024

🤩 Unique experience for our lab at ESPCR2024 meeting!

Brilliant talk by Najla El Hachem, PhD presenting her beautiful paper on Valine-tRNA aminoacylation in resitant melanoma https://lnkd.in/eaRSkCTq . Bravo Najla! You make us proud 😉

A perfect intro to my own talk just after...
I was given the opportunity to present our work and our vision on the role of tRNA modifications in cancer phenotypes. Pierre Close

A truly enjoyable scientific moment 🤩 & a great publicity for in GIGA ULiège Fondation contre le Cancer ULiège Recherche & Innovation Research Institute FNRS Fondation Léon Fredericq, Fondation Hospitalo-Universitaire à Liège

Thanks to for the invitation and the beautiful meeting
https://lnkd.in/exVxmt-f

12/10/2024

I was truly honoured to be invited at MDAnderson Cancer Center Texas to share our latest science with friends & collaborators. A full day of intense scientific discussions with insightful perpectives on the crucial role of tRNA modifications in cancer, particularly their potential clinical implications. It's a talk & a day I will definitely remember!
MD Anderson Cancer Center
GIGA ULiège
ULiège Recherche & Innovation
Fondation contre le Cancer

08/06/2024

I am particularly delighted to share our last discovery highlighting the key role of tRNA regulation (VARS) in the resistance of melanoma to targeted therapies.
👉 https://www.giga.uliege.be/cms/c_12703258/en/transfer-rnas-at-the-heart-of-therapeutic-resistance

Special congrats to Najla El Hachem (Najla Lhm) who brilliantly led the work.

Special thanks to the team, to our exceptional collaborators and to our sponsors who support our research FNRS -Research Institute Fondation contre le Cancer Fondation Léon Fredericq, Fondation Hospitalo-Universitaire à Liège

Check the News&Views written by Sohail Tavazoie, who nicely summarizes our discovery (Thank you !)
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41556-024-01430-x

Access to the full paper Cell Biology:
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41556-024-01439-2

University of Liège researchers discover a new therapeutic target for the treatment of melanoma resistant to targeted therapies.

18/05/2023

❗️Fantastic news for our lab!❗️
Particularly proud to receive the award from the prestigious Worldwide cancer research association to uncover new therapeutic targets in melanoma.

Thanks to our amazing lab team for their work & dedication!

Worldwide Cancer Research ULiège Recherche & Innovation FNRS GIGA ULiège Pierre Close

Dr Pierre Close and his team are studying how melanoma tumours resist treatment. Unravelling how melanoma cells control the way proteins are made inside the cell could reveal new ways to treat the disease.

29/04/2023

Congratulations to Cléa DZIAGWA for the award from the European Association for Cancer Research & Worldwide Cancer Research
A great incentive and visibility for our work🤩

Enjoy the opportunity!

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05/01/2023

Our lab is hiring a lab technician from Feb 2023 !!! please spread!!!
For more information, follow the link

Centre interdisciplinaire de recherche biomédicale de l'Université de Liège, situé au sein de l'Hôpital universitaire

18/11/2022

Very happy that our lab is taking an active part in the European project TRANSLACORE. Great network with great scientists and great perspectives.

L'ULiège engagée dans 6 projets de recherche COST Action 🔥

Bravo à nos chercheuses et chercheurs et plus particulièrement à Shady Attia, Yves Henrotin, Gaëtan Garraux, Bjorn-Olav Dozo, Alejandro Silhanek et Pierre Close, impliqués dans les comités de gestion de ces 6 projets.

▶️ https://www.recherche.uliege.be/COSTAction

Le programme CCOST - European Cooperation in Science and Technologyest l'un des cadres les plus larges de la coopération scientifique en Europe et constitue un mécanisme intéressant pour la coordination et la diffusion de l'effort de recherche européen. C'est également un outil parfait pour placer son équipe de recherche dans un réseau international de haut niveau. Plus de 38 pays participent à cette initiative qui permet de coordonner des projets nationaux et régionaux à l'échelle européenne.

EEuropean Commission| UULiège Faculté des Sciences| UULiège - Faculté de Médecine| FFaculté Philo-Lettres ULiège| UULiège - Faculté des Sciences Appliquées| GGIGA (ULg)

18/10/2022

Congrats to Najla El Hachem for the great talk at the IRB meeting in Barcelona, uncovering new vulnerabilities in resistant melanoma! You make us proud! fantastic meeting! Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona) ULiège Recherche & Innovation GIGA (ULg) FNRS Fondation Léon Fredericq, Fondation Hospitalo-Universitaire à Liège Fondation contre le Cancer

30/04/2022

A fantastic news for our lab! We are very grateful to welbio for the support & the trust!! Some great science ahead! 🤩

5 projets GIGA ont été retenus et seront financés par le Welbio Investigator Programme 2021 ! Félicitations à Francesca Rapino, Pierre Close, Michel Georges, Thomas Marichal et Laurent Nguyen !

24/09/2021

ACHIEVEMENT!!!
Our lab is proud of Dr Najla EL Hachem for the award of "Prix triennal Cornélis-Lebègue et Alexandre Straetmans" from the belgian royal academy of medicine.
This is well deserved. Najla, keep going on this beautiful project !!! 💪

GIGA (ULg); ULiège Recherche & Innovation