Congratulations to Dr Matt Jackson, who was selected as a 2026 JING Cohort Study Idea Winner at the Junior Investigator Network Group (JING) Training the Next Generation event, held in Manchester last month.
Led by the Experimental Cancer Medicine Centre (ECMC) Network, JING brings together the UK’s brightest junior clinicians and postdoctoral scientists building careers in translational research. The programme aims to support early career cancer researchers committed to becoming independent investigators, providing career support, peer networking, expert-led workshops, and training opportunities.
At this year's Training the Next Generation event, more than 60 trainees joined senior clinicians, scientists, statisticians and patient representatives for two days of interactive sessions and networking. A highlight of the event was the presentation and discussion of proposed study ideas. Following expert review by faculty specialising in early phase cancer trials, Matt was awarded a prize for Best Study Design.
Matt’s winning study concept was a seamless Phase I/II clinical trial evaluating a gene-edited, autologous tumour-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) therapy for advanced melanoma. The proposed design included an initial dose-escalation phase to assess safety, followed by a randomised Phase II comparison against the currently approved standard TIL therapy, enabling direct evaluation of safety and clinical activity.
The study idea was developed from preclinical work led by Matt, which is now under review for publication. While TIL therapy has recently reached a major milestone with FDA approval of the first TIL-based therapy for melanoma in 2024, challenges remain around TIL persistence and function within the suppressive tumour microenvironment. There is growing interest in further modifying the expanded TIL product before reinfusion to improve efficacy. Matt’s preclinical research explores genetic modifications aimed at improving TIL performance, forming the scientific rationale for the proposed study concept.