Laoui investigates the mechanisms by which certain cells can influence the immune system to inhibit cancer progression. These cells or the molecules they produce can then be used as a basis for the development of new (combination) immunotherapies. For example, Laoui's team developed an anti-cancer vaccine based on the body's own tumor-derived cells.
She was a visiting fellow at the Swiss Institute for Cancer Research and Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne in Lausanne. She is affiliated with the Flanders’ Institute for Biotechnology (VIB). Laoui is committed to encouraging young people from diverse backgrounds to choose STEM studies and to inspiring women to pursue scientific careers.