Research and Clinical Programs
The Bloomberg~Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy is where the next generation of cancer cures will be made.
Research Programs
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Program Leaders: Drew Pardoll, M.D., Ph.D., Suzanne Topalian, M.D.
The Immune Modulation (IM) Program seeks to apply high dimensional transcriptional and proteomic technology platforms to human immune cells in the context of immunotherapy trials, in particular neoadjuvant (pre-surgical) trials, to identify candidate molecules and pathways associated with sensitivity vs resistance to anti-tumor immunity. The functions of these “molecules/pathways-of-interest” are validated with in vitro systems and genetically engineered murine models. Findings from these analyses are being extended to provide spatial information on expression and co-expression patterns of therapeutic targets-of-interest, their partners and downstream signaling pathways, ultimately providing novel biomarkers that should directly inform patient selection for testing novel immunotherapeutic combinations. -
Program Leaders: Erika Pearce, Ph.D., Edward Pearce, Ph.D.
The Program aims to use the study of metabolism to develop insights into the basic biology of immune and stromal cells in cancer, and the biology of cancer cells themselves, with a view to developing new approaches to potentiate immunotherapy. LC-MS metabolomics, RNAseq and ATACseq, coupled with more directed assessments of cellular function and disease states employing gain and loss of function experiments, represent the core research approaches used in the program. -
Program Leader: Janis M. Taube, MD
The vision of the Tumor Microenvironment program is to fundamentally transform diagnostic and prognostic pathology as it relates to immuno-oncology. This includes developing scoring systems for routine H&E-stained slides that are handled through surgical pathology using existing workflows. It also includes moving from single IHC tests to multiparameter, multiplex imaging using the AstroPath platform.
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The overall objective of the Engineering Program is to integrate principles of the physical sciences and engineering to cancer, the immune system (immunoengineering), and the stroma. This includes computational methods/machine learning, in vitro and in vivo model systems, drug delivery – nano- and micro-particles and polymeric targeting, and protein engineering.
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Program Leaders: Shibin Zhou, M.D., Ph.D., Ken Kinzler, Ph.D., Bert Vogelstein, M.D.
The BKI Genetics program is charged with improving and expanding the application of cancer immunotherapy through the study of the cancer genome. We have taken two major approaches. The first is based on defining genetic factors that predict response to existing immunotherapies, which has led to the FDA approval of using mismatch repair deficiency as an indication for pembrolizumab. We’re now primarily focusing on the second approach to develop novel immunotherapeutic strategies targeting cancer-specific genetic alterations and other targets providing sufficient cancer specificity.
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Program Leader: Cynthia Sears, M.D.
The Microbiome Program goals are: 1) to identify if and how the microbial members or communities associated with diverse cancers impact response to cancer immunotherapy (IO); and 2) to define the microbiota determinants contributing to the promotion of colorectal cancer (CRC).
Clinical Programs
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Program Leader: Suzanne Topalian, M.D.
The Melanoma/Skin Cancer Program aims to develop more effective immunotherapies for patients with metastatic melanoma, and Merkel, basal, and cutaneous squamous cell carcinomas (MCC, BCC, cSCC) by understanding anti-PD-1 response and resistance. This is accomplished by leading biomarker-rich clinical trials in the advanced unresectable disease and neoadjuvant (pre-surgical) treatment settings. We also aim to develop safe and effective immunotherapies for immunosuppressed patients with difficult-to-treat skin cancers.
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Program Leaders: Carole Fakhry, M.D., M.P.H., Tanguy Seiwart, M.D.
The Head and Neck Cancer (HNC) Program seeks to understand the contribution of different immune cell types (Myeloid cells versus T-cells) to the tumor microenvironment (TME) of viral (HPV) and non-viral HNC and leverage its strength in neoadjuvant clinical trials to develop novel immunotherapies that modulate these immune populations and hence the TME in order to improve outcomes for patients with HNC.
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Program Leaders: Julie Brahmer, M.D.
The Lung Cancer program’s overall goals are to evaluate the mechanisms of immune evasion in Thoracic Cancers, in particular, non-small cell lung cancer, to examine mechanisms of response, primary resistance and secondary resistance to immunotherapy with a particular emphasis on the neoadjuvant clinical trials platform, which provides a unique opportunity to obtain large quantities of tumor, allowing us to evaluate effects of combination immunotherapies on the tumor immune microenvironment. We expect that findings from these trials will lead to the development of novel diagnostic and therapeutic approaches to guide the application of an ever-expanding armamentarium. Our program brings together experts in a multidisciplinary fashion to translate findings from the bench to bedside and back again. It also serves as a nidus for collaboration among all the BKI scientific programs and a model for translational cancer immunology in other disease-based programs.
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Program Leader: Elizabeth Jaffee, M.D.
Ongoing studies aim to identify 1) best approaches to increase immune responsiveness in GI tumors; 2) complex signaling pathways that prevent T cell activity; 3) combinations that enhance vaccine+PD-1 checkpoint efficacy. We use multiplex single genomic, transcriptomic and proteomic technologies to interrogate tumors, and computational approaches to integrate and validate observations.