) The Immunology Program is a basic research program in the UPCI with 25 actively participating members from eight departments and two schools, the School of Medicine and the Graduate School of Public Health. The UPCI Immunology Program serves as the major focal point for immunology research at the University of Pittsburgh and has fostered a broad immunology community with a wide range of interests, but with an overriding goal of providing basic immunology findings that can be translated into potential therapies for cancer. The majority of the Program members are funded to conduct research directly related to tumor immunology, and the rest are immunologists recruited into the Program for their expertise and cutting edge research in related systems of organ rejection, infectious disease and autoimmunity. Program members interact scientifically through several sub-programs including 1) natural killer cells and immunity; 2) tumor antigens and specific anti-tumor immunity; 3) antigen processing and presentation; 4) cytokines, receptors, signal transduction; and 5) tolerance and autoimmunity. These interactions are formalized in numerous co-investigatorships in grants and participation in program projects. They are also documented in numerous co-authored papers. The scientific goals of the program are to elucidate 1) the basic mechanisms of initiation of tumor-specific immunity; 2) the effector phase of the anti-tumor immune response, and 3) the establishment of long term anti-tumor immune memory. The scientific goals are promoted by special Program activities, which are organized to facilitate close communication among Program members, and are supported by the UPCI. These include a weekly research-in-progress seminar series, a weekly journal club, a formal seminar series hosting outside speakers, a monthly newsletter, and organization of meetings and symposia featuring special topics of interest to the program members. The Immunology Program interacts closely with the Biological Therapeutics Program, by providing basic immunology findings that are then translated into potential therapies to be evaluated by the membership of the Biological Therapeutics Program, many of whom are also Immunology Program members.
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