Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy (TII)

University Of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles CA

Investigators

Linked publications, trials & patents

Abstract

TUMOR IMMUNOLOGY AND IMMUNOTHERAPY (TII) RESEARCH PROGRAM ABSTRACT The UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center (JCCC) Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy (TII) Research Program has two primary goals. The first is to enhance understanding of tumor immunology and the tumor microenvironment, and their responses to different modalities of cancer immunotherapy. The second is to develop novel immune-based clinical therapies for patients with cancer to favorably impact the Los Angeles County (LAC) catchment area communities served by the JCCC and beyond. The TII Program brings basic, translational, and clinical scientists together in an environment that has spawned novel investigator-initiated immunotherapy clinical trials for patients with multiple types of cancer. Main areas of established intra- and interprogrammatic collaborative research include: 1) bringing new cancer immunotherapies to drug regulatory approval to improve treatments for patients with cancer; 2) analysis of the mechanistic basis of responses and resistance to immune checkpoint blockade immunotherapies; 3) clinical trials of genetically engineered T lymphocytes and their precursors with T cell receptors (TCRs) or chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) to generate a cancer-directed immune system; 4) non-invasive imaging of tumor antigen-specific T cell distribution and tumor targeting in vivo; 5) new platforms for immune monitoring of T cell responses to cancer; 6) the relationship between inflammation and cancer; 7) the use of antibody fusion proteins for cancer therapy; 8) combinations with targeted therapies to sensitize cancer cells to immunotherapy; and 9) improving the lives of patients with AIDS-related malignancies. The basic and translational research within the TII Program uses all JCCC CCSGsupported infrastructure and Shared Resources in ongoing research efforts. The Flow Cytometry Shared Resource (FCSR) is a key facility required for most (if not all) research projects within the Program. The Small Animal Imaging Shared Resource (SAISR) has made possible the pursuit of successful projects in T cell imaging in vivo, projects that are now being brought from preclinical models to patients. The JCCC/Human Gene Medicine Program Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) suite is providing the required physical infrastructure to support multiple Program investigators in manufacturing cell and gene therapy products in-house, meeting all local, state, and federal regulatory requirements for human administration. The TII Program has 41 members hailing from 16 departments. As of 3/1/2024, peer-reviewed cancer-related funding for the Program is $10.3M and total funding is $14.1M. From 2019 – 2023, TII Program members produced 450 publications, of which 20% are intraprogrammatic, 45% are inter-programmatic and 53% are in high impact (IF >10) journals.