Wageningen Researcher Wins Major Grant to Target Cancer Cells with Breakthrough CRISPR Method
Wageningen, Friday, 27 February 2026.
Microbiologist John van der Oost secured €150,000 in European funding to develop ThermoCas9, a revolutionary CRISPR variant that selectively destroys cancer cells while sparing healthy tissue. The system exploits methylation differences in tumor DNA.
Precision Medicine Innovation in Healthcare Technology
This breakthrough represents a significant advancement in healthtech, specifically in the field of precision oncology medicine [GPT]. Van der Oost, an emeritus professor of microbiology at Wageningen University, received the European Research Council proof of concept grant on February 26, 2026 [1]. The €150,000 funding will support 1.5 years of research work alongside researcher Christian Südfeld to develop a method that kills cancer cells from the inside out [1]. The innovation targets a critical challenge in cancer treatment: how to destroy malignant cells while minimizing collateral damage to healthy tissue, a problem that has long plagued conventional therapies like chemotherapy and radiation [1].
The Science Behind ThermoCas9 Technology
The revolutionary approach centers on ThermoCas9, a specialized CRISPR-Cas9 variant that van der Oost’s team discovered in bacteria from a Wageningen compost heap [1]. This unique gene-editing tool possesses the remarkable ability to distinguish between DNA with and without methyl groups, exploiting a fundamental difference between cancer cells and healthy cells [1]. As van der Oost explains, ‘Because some tumor cells have fewer methyl groups on their DNA than healthy cells, they form a perfect target for our ThermoCas9’ [1]. Laboratory experiments have demonstrated that their CRISPR system damages DNA in cancer cells with deviating methylation patterns while leaving healthy cells unharmed [1]. The research team is now working to increase the damage to tumor cells to the point of cell death [1].
Liver Cancer as the Initial Target
The project initially focuses on liver cancer, with the research team developing a delivery system that packages proteins and DNA, including the CRISPR system, in nanoparticles targeted at liver cells [1]. Van der Oost strategically chose this approach because ‘the liver plays an important role in waste processing in our body. Nanoparticles from the blood are sent there for destruction’ [1]. This natural biological process creates a unique therapeutic opportunity: ‘Before the liver actually breaks down the nanoparticles, CRISPR can do its work’ [1]. The liver’s role as the body’s filtration system makes it an ideal testing ground for this nanoparticle delivery mechanism, potentially offering a less invasive alternative to current treatments [1].
Development Timeline and Technical Challenges
The project, formally titled ‘DeLIVER: Epigenome-Sensitive CRISPR Therapy for Hepatocellular Carcinoma,’ faces several technical hurdles that the team plans to address over the next 18 months [2]. The CRISPR system, specifically ThermoCas9, requires optimization to function effectively at human body temperature of approximately 37 degrees Celsius [1]. Researchers plan to modify the system using a combination of 3D structural analysis, artificial intelligence, and laboratory evolution techniques [1]. Postdoc Christian Südfeld will lead the optimization efforts, with the team planning to collaborate with cancer specialists, possibly at the Nederlands Kankerinstituut (NKI) [1]. However, van der Oost acknowledges that practical application in patients remains distant, as ‘tumors are genetically messy, and the therapy may affect healthy cells’ [1]. This funding represents part of a broader European initiative, as thirteen scientists at Dutch knowledge institutions received ERC Proof of Concept grants in 2026 to translate fundamental research into practical applications [1].