Immunology and Cancer Immunotherapy

Dartmouth College, Hanover NH

Investigators

Linked publications, trials & patents

Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY: IMMUNOLOGY AND CANCER IMMUNOTHERAPY (ICI) The Immunology and Cancer Immunotherapy (ICI) Program brings together basic, translational, and clinical investigators with an overarching goal of developing and advancing cutting-edge immunotherapies for patients with cancer. To accomplish this goal, ICI researchers focus on three Specific Aims: 1) To understand immune mechanisms underlying effective tumor control; 2) To generate therapies that promote immune recognition of cancer; and 3) To translate findings into novel immune-based therapies for patients at the Dartmouth Cancer Center (DCC). ICI brings together 23 investigators representing eight departments across the Dartmouth Geisel School of Medicine, the Thayer School of Engineering, and the Dartmouth Health system. ICI is led by Mary Jo Turk, PhD and Kenneth Meehan, MD, who direct the laboratory and clinical research aspects of the program, respectively. ICI Program laboratory scientists gain insight into the immune cell and molecular mechanisms underlying tumor control, whereas ICI Program clinical investigators advance human immunology studies and immunotherapy clinical trials. ICI’s scientific areas of focus are divided into three main thematic areas: 1) immune checkpoints and antibody therapeutics, 2) tumor environment and myeloid cells, and 3) T cells and CAR-T-cell therapy. Research studies in these areas focus on melanoma, colorectal, lung, breast, endometrial cancer, and glioblastoma, as guided by interactions with the DCC Clinical Oncology Groups (COGs) and Community Outreach and Engagement (COE) team. ICI’s total cancer-relevant peer-reviewed funding is $6.1M, with NCI funding representing 44% ($2.7M); these funding amounts represent 61% and 108% increases, respectively, relative to the 2019 application. During the current cycle, ICI Members published 133 cancer-related manuscripts, of which 12% were intra-programmatic, 24% were inter-programmatic, 29% were collaborative with other NCI cancer centers, and 32% were high impact. Compared to 2019, intra-programmatic publications decreased from 21% to 12%, inter-programmatic held steady at 24%, and high-impact increased from 17% to 32%. ICI Members made extensive use of Shared Resources to support their studies. ICI Program clinical investigators accrued 201 patients to interventional trials and 163 patients to interventional treatment trials during the funding period. ICI’s major successes during the 2019–2023 cycle include launch of a PD-L1-depleting drug bench-to-bedside program, opening of an anti-VISTA clinical trial, and nucleation of a research program in memory T-cell responses to cancer. These accomplishments strongly support the DCC Strategic Plan scientific priorities of Next Generation Immunotherapies, Foundational Cancer Research, and Innovation and Entrepreneurship, which will guide the work of ICI Members into the next cycle.