Mounting evidence suggests that immunotherapies can effectively turn a patient’s own immune systems against the very molecules that distinguish the tumor from normal cells, allowing the body’s T cells to serve as guided missiles that seek and destroy only the intended target. This approach is based on the progressive mutational process that drives cancer evolution and predictes antigens that are expressed exclusively in and on tumor cells.

With the goal of successfully eradicating tumors without destroying healthy tissue while using aggressive therapy, researchers have developed a number of treatments targeted toward modulating the body’s immune cells to more effectively fight cancer.

Using 18 cases of Follicular Lymphoma from stored specimens in the biobank, including cell suspension of lymph nodes, we are able to improve methods for identifying neo-antigens in human cancer, in hopes of being able to develop personalized vaccine and cellular therapy approaches. By training the immune system to target tumor-specific antigens, researchers hope to selectively eradicate the cancer cells while leaving healthy tissue.

For the full text of this research project, click here.