Project Summary

Despite the early termination of the CRAFT trial, the MIMETIC project delivered a transformative, integrated platform for molecular and immunological cancer profiling — laying a powerful foundation for precision oncology within DKTK. We successfully established cutting-edge tools: spatial multispectral imaging to decode tumor immune architecture, RNA-based TCR sequencing to track clonal dynamics, and a complex spectral flow panel to analyze peripheral immune responses and checkpoint-marker expression from blood samples. We also deployed OLINK-PEA assays for plasma proteomics — identifying candidate biomarkers across tumor types — and built a functional T-cell melanoma model proving that Vemurafenib/Trametinib/Ipasertib preserve T-cell cytotoxicity. Though patient numbers and material availability were limited, our analyses revealed critical immune checkpoints (PD-1, LAG-3, TIM-3, TIGIT) and genomic drivers of resistance (e.g., PTEN loss, FGFR2 fusion) directly informing next-generation adaptive combination therapies. All workflows, data pipelines, and a collaborative R/Shiny app are now operational and ready for deployment across the consortium.