Modifications to a type of immune cell programmed to recognize and kill cancerous tumors could make them even more effective assassins.

Researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Harvard Medical School have found a novel way to engineer chimeric antigen receptor natural killer ( CAR-NK ) cells to ensure they're not rejected by the body's immune system as foes rather than friends.

While the treatment is yet to be tested in humans, initial experiments in mice and human tissues in the lab suggest these new CAR-NK cells are well tolerated and effective at fighting cancer – a promising start for these next-gen upgrades.

Natural killer cells are produced in the body as a first-line defense against cancers or tissues infected with viruses . They don't need pri

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