Integrated Program in Immuno-Oncology

Establishing a translational clinical and preclinical research program in immuno-oncology at the Medical College of Wisconsin

Return to Listing

Full Project Name:Integrated Program in Immuno-OncologyPrincipal Investigator:Gustavo Leone, PhD, Cancer CenterCo-Investigator(s):Michael B. Dwinell, PhD, Microbiolgy & Immunology
James P. Thomas, MD, PhD, Hematology & OncologyAward Amount:$5,600,000

Award Date

July2021

Project Duration:84 months

Project Summary:

A body's immune system is essential to survival, allowing it to fight foreign agents such as viruses or bacteria that pose a threat to health. A cancer diagnosis means that malignant cancer cells have developed, and that an individual's underlying immune system has failed to eliminate those cells.

Over the last decade, scientific advances have found that aspects of the immune system could be used to enhance immune cell’s ability to fight cancer. These immunotherapies encompass a number of strategies to enhance a patient's immune system. While significant advances have been made to develop effective immunotherapies for cancer patients, there are critical gaps in knowledge that need to be addressed in order to effectively manipulate immune cells to fight cancer.

Through this award, investigators at the Medical College of Wisconsin will develop a translational clinical and preclinical research program in cancer immunotherapy to support further research, clinical trials, and training of the next generation of physicians and scientists in delivery immunotherapy in patients.

Project Updates:

Supported multiple basic science projects to date, and there are three new clinical trial protocols under development focused on T cell therapy and intrathecal therapy
Supported a postdoctoral study that made significant discoveries regarding a protein coding gene involved in ovarian cancer
Supported multiple predoctoral projects to date focused on computational simulations of CAR-T cell therapy, signaling in metastatic pancreatic cancer, CAR-T cell therapy for non-Hodgkin lymphoma patients, and surgically induced reflux models for esophageal cancer
Supported studies have resulted in further research, including research of anti-tumor T cell responses and the development of a naïve antibody phage display library that has been used for additional experiments
Disseminated project efforts through nine published manuscripts and leveraged over $7 million in funding to support continued research efforts