Center for Cancer Immunology and Immunotherapy (CCII)

University Of Louisville, Louisville KY

Investigators

Linked publications & trials

Abstract

This renewal application is seeking continued support for the Center for Cancer Immunology & Immunotherapy (CCII) COBRE program at the University of Louisville (UofL). The mission of the CCII COBRE is to conduct outstanding research while simultaneously training the next generation of tumor immunologists to harness the power of the immune system to eradicate cancer. UofL is exceptionally qualified to make an impact in this area for many reasons including our expertise in basic cancer immunology, our long track record of conducting clinical trials of immunotherapy agents, and our focus on translational research. The CCII COBRE has been very successful to date. Three of the four Phase 1 Research Project Leaders (RPLs) have already obtained major NIH/DOD funding as PIs and graduated from COBRE support, while the other one is on track to obtain independent R01 awards. We also rotated one new RPL into the Program. The Center has also made strong progress in terms of its publications, infrastructure, and pipeline. Importantly, UofL is highly invested in the success of the CCII as evidenced by more than $16.8M in institutional commitments in Phase 1 and additional commitments of over $17M for Phase 2. The CCII has four specific aims for Phase 2: (1) Expand and strengthen a multidisciplinary program in research, training, mentoring, and career development; (2) Enhance research resources to promote and expand innovative thematic research; (3) Expand the CCII Pilot Project Program (PPP); and (4) Continue working towards the long-term sustainability of the CCII. The program will continue to be led in Phase 2 by two highly regarded experts in the field who have made seminal contributions spanning from basic cancer immunology (PI Yan) to pivotal clinical trials of cancer immunotherapies (co-I Chesney). Mentors with expertise in the thematic area and a strong history of funding, publications, mentoring, and study section service will support the Administrative Core’s mentoring mission, as will an Advisory Committee consisting of renowned external experts and UofL leaders. The state-of-the-art CCII Functional Immunomics Core that was created in Phase 1 will be further expanded to provide vital education, expertise, and equipment to support three new RPLs in Phase 2. The first cohort of selected RPLs in Phase 2 strengthen and expand the thematic research area and add new aspects (glioblastoma, oncolytic viruses). We are confident that renewal of this COBRE will lead to at least four more RPLs obtaining their first independent R01-type or similar grants in Phase 2 and that, as with Phase 1, many of these COBRE graduates will remain key members of the CCII to further grow the Center in the future. Most importantly, our combination of rigorous basic science with highly translational animal and human specimen studies should ultimately enable the development of new treatment strategies that will help to improve the outlook for the more than 17 million people worldwide who are diagnosed with cancer each year.