Center for Immuno-oncology
As enthusiasm grows within the field, we seek to build on successful trials of engineered cellular therapies, immune checkpoint inhibitor antibodies, and bispecific antibody immunotherapies in blood, solid tumor, and autoimmune disease settings and a broad Providence-Swedish experience in these approaches. Our program helps support forward (bench to bedside) and reverse translational efforts to help improve, extend, and advance immunotherapy in order to learn from successes and failures to share immunotherapy cures with more patients. Studies supported include cellular therapies (CAR-T, TIL, TCR-T, and more), bispecific antibody immunotherapies in solid and liquid tumors, intralesional therapies, personalized immunotherapies including vaccine, and in conjunction with our surgical members and collaborators studies of neoadjuvant approaches that use a patient’s own tumor to train the immune system. In partnership with leading nonprofits, academic institutions, patients, and industry partners, we are building a collaborative model that helps to inform and de-risk immune-based combination therapies and accelerate their development.
Utilizing the body’s natural defenses to identify, target, and destroy cancer cells.
The immune system is our body’s defense mechanism, detecting and protecting us from bacteria, viruses, UV radiation, and other foreign invaders. Different cell types and immune tissues work together to defend the body against cancer.
By harnessing both the innate (fast-acting first line of defense) and adaptive (self-learning, target-specific) branches of the system, we are creating treatments that enable the body to fight cancer more effectively.
Immunotherapies enhance the immune system’s ability to detect and destroy cancer cells, offering new hope for patients where traditional treatments have failed.
Diverse immunotherapy approaches for diverse needs.
Immunotherapy offers multiple strategies that strengthen the immune system. Each approach targets cancer in different ways to maximize the chances of success for a broad range of patients.
Checkpoint Inhibitors: Our immune systems' checkpoints regulate activity and stop it from attacking health cells. Cancer cells can take advantage of these checkpoints to avoid detection. Checkpoint inhibitor drugs remove the ‘brakes’ from the immune system, blocking these checkpoints to allow it to recognize and attack cancer cells that might otherwise evade detection.
CAR-T Cell Therapy: A groundbreaking treatment where a patient’s T cells are engineered to better recognize and attack cancer cells through the expression of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) on their surface. The CAR helps the T cells recognize specific proteins in cancer cells, enabling them to target and kill them more efficiently.
Cancer Vaccines: Designed to boost the immune system’s response to cancer, these vaccines can either prevent or treat cancer by stimulating the immune system to recognize and attack specific cancer cells.
Adoptive Cell Transfer: Immune cells are cultivated outside the body and then modified or activated to enhance their ability to recognize cancer before being reintroduced to the body to target and destroy the cancer cellsEach of these therapies represents a crucial piece of the puzzle in making cancer immunotherapy safer, more effective, and more widely available. While not all treatments are suitable for all types of cancer or all patients, our research and trial collaborations are creating a better understanding of where they can be applied most effectively.
Driving translational research and collaboration on the path to progress.
We are committed to driving the next generation of cancer treatments through collaboration across scientific and medical communities. Our partnerships with nonprofit organizations, academic institutions, and industry leaders advance our understanding of immunotherapy and allow us to translate that knowledge into real-world solutions.
Through clinical trials as part of the Swedish Cancer Institute, we are testing new therapies, refining existing ones, and uncovering new ways to make immunotherapy more effective and accessible.
Our current trials range from cancer prevention to treatment and improvement of immunotherapy safety. By participating in these trials, we bring the latest and most promising treatments to patients, improving survival rates and, ultimately, saving lives.
