Cancer Immunology and Immunotherapeutics Research Program

Mayo Clinic Rochester, Rochester MN

Investigators

Linked publications & trials

Abstract

CANCER IMMUNOLOGY AND IMMUNOTHERAPEUTICS (CII): ABSTRACT The Cancer Immunology and Immunotherapeutics (CII) Research Program of Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center (MCCCC) drives discovery in cancer immunology and translates discoveries into innovative immune-mediated therapeutic interventions and clinical trials responsive to our catchment area (CA) needs and patients served from across the nation. The program is endowed by the David F. and Margaret T. Grohne Family, and is co-led by Saad Kenderian (MCR), Keith Knutson (MCF), and Virginia Shapiro (MCR) as well as two outstanding emerging leaders Marion Curtis (MCA) and Laura Rogers (MCR). Haidong Dong (MCR) serves as an MCCCC Distinguished Senior Scientist. CII fosters the science of 51 program members from 15 departments across all MCCCC sites (35 MCR, 11 MCA, and 5 MCF). CII drives discovery science focused on dissecting mechanisms of immunity and immune regulation, the relationship between inflammation and cancer, and the development of innovative immune therapies including checkpoint blockade therapy, anti-cancer vaccines, cellular therapies (CAR-T), oncolytic viral therapies, and antibody-targeted chemotherapeutics. CII members are committed to all aspects of the MCCCC, including advanced education and training through Cancer Research Training and Education Coordination Office (CRTEC) and community outreach and engagement through the Community Outreach and Engagement Office (COE). The mission of CII is to provide a highly supportive and collaborative scientific environment to foster faculty and program development and drive innovative and impactful science through the following four Specific Aims: 1) discover the mechanisms used by cancer cells to evade the immune response and to develop novel ways to overcome these barriers; 2) develop innovative immune interventions using antibody-mediated or oncolytic viral targeting; 3) develop novel patient-centered individualized tumor-antigen identification and immunization strategies for cancer interception and intervention; and 4) develop innovative strategies that improve tumor targeting and activity of ex vivo engineered immune cells. CII program members currently hold $12.1M in annual direct peer-reviewed funding ($5.3M from the National Cancer Institute), and $13.8M in non-peer reviewed funding for a total of $25.9M in direct annual funding. Between 2019 and 2023, Program members published 963 peer-reviewed publications, of which 36% are in high impact journals (impact factor >10) with 52% and 45% involving inter-programmatic or inter-institutional collaborations, respectively. Clinical trials accrual from 2019-2023 totaled 2208 patients across multiple cancer types. The CII program is integrated with the strategic priorities of the MCCCC, focusing on basic science discoveries, cancer interception, cancer treatment, and development of innovative bioinformatic and artificial intelligence (AI) solutions to identify novel immunotherapies.