FORESIGHT Consortium Harnesses Molecular Imaging and AI to Transform Immunotherapy Development

FORESIGHT Consortium Harnesses Molecular Imaging and AI to Transform Immunotherapy Development

(IN BRIEF) The FORESIGHT consortium, comprising leading researchers from UMC Groningen, Amsterdam UMC, NKI/AVL, and TU/e, has launched a pioneering initiative to advance immunotherapy drug development by leveraging molecular imaging and AI technologies. With a grant of at least €9 million from Health~Holland—matched by private funds to total €18 million over three years—the project aims to answer critical questions regarding optimal treatment timing, drug selection, and patient suitability. By integrating advanced nuclear and optical imaging techniques, the consortium will create imaging biomarkers that enable precise mapping of tissue and drug distribution, thereby enhancing both new drug development and patient-drug matching for existing therapies.

(PRESS RELEASE) EINDHOVEN, 13-Mar-2025 — /EuropaWire/ — The FORESIGHT consortium, an alliance comprising researchers from UMC Groningen, Amsterdam UMC, NKI/AVL, and TU/e, has embarked on an ambitious project to revolutionize immunotherapy drug development by harnessing the power of molecular imaging. Spearheaded by Liesbeth de Vries, Guus van Dongen, John Haanen, and Peter de With, the consortium has secured a grant of at least €9 million from Health~Holland to support cutting-edge research in this field. The initiative is designed to tackle three pivotal questions: determining the optimal timing for administering immunotherapy, identifying the most suitable drug for each patient, and ascertaining which patients are most likely to benefit from treatment.

The project aims to integrate advanced nuclear and optical imaging techniques along with state-of-the-art AI tools, enabling researchers to map tissue properties at a cellular level and accurately quantify drug distribution within the body. By providing a comprehensive suite of imaging biomarkers, the consortium will facilitate the development of new immunotherapies and improve patient-drug matching for existing treatments. Over the next three years, the FORESIGHT consortium is set to deploy a total of €18 million—thanks to a public-private partnership where every public euro is matched by a private one—to fund a series of studies that promise to enhance the efficacy of immunotherapy.

Notably, the involvement of TU/e researcher Fons van der Sommen—who, despite Peter de With’s retirement, remains a key figure in the program—underscores the collaborative spirit of the project. Van der Sommen emphasizes the challenge of aligning the right treatment with the right patient, a task made feasible through the consortium’s advanced imaging and AI capabilities. In addition to the core team, the Precision Medicine group led by Willem Mulder and Roy van der Meel is also contributing to this innovative endeavor.

By combining expertise in tracer development, bioengineering, and data analysis, the FORESIGHT Service and Innovation Center supports preclinical and clinical molecular imaging studies across a range of diseases, including oncological, autoimmune, cardiovascular, and neurodegenerative disorders. This initiative not only paves the way for groundbreaking drug development but also exemplifies the strategic investment of Health~Holland in the Life Sciences & Health sector, aimed at achieving significant economic and social impact.

About FORESIGHT

UMC Groningen, Amsterdam UMC, NKI/AVL, and the Eindhoven University of Technology work together in the FORESIGHT-PPP program. They have bundled their high-quality expertise and infrastructure in the FORESIGHT Service and Innovation Center. Multidisciplinary teams with unique knowledge of tracer development, bioengineering, imaging and data analysis/AI work here. These support the medical teams that carry out (pre)clinical molecular imaging studies in the field of oncological, autoimmune, cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases.

About Health~Holland

Top Sector Life Sciences & Health (Health~Holland) is the driving force behind innovation within the Life Sciences & Health (LSH) sector. Health Holland’s goal is to achieve both economic and social impact. Therefore, it invests in a wide range of top disciplines in order to stimulate groundbreaking scientific discoveries and technological innovations.

Media Contact:

Nicole van Overveld
Science Information Officer
+31 (0)6 51 925 937
n.w.m.p.v.overveld@tue.nl

SOURCE: TU/e