During the past 17 years, Washington University School of Medicine has developed significant strength inthe area of immunology. The Medical School community is known for its breadth and depth and its highlyinteractive nature. However, until recently, this community had very little focus in the specific area of tumorimmunology. As a result of recent advances in the fields of basic and tumor-related immunology and theinstitutional commitment to support cancer research through the formation of the Alvin J. Siteman CancerCenter, this immunology community has enthusiastically drawn together with the intent of specificallyaddressing many of the key issues relevant to cancer immunology and immunotherapy. This effort resultedin the formation of the Tumor Immunology Research Program that currently comprises 30 members. TheProgram is focused into five thematic areas: (1) immune system development, (2) antigen processing andpresentation, (3) lymphocyte biology, (4) cytokine biology and biochemistry, and (5) tumor immunotherapy.The long-range goal of this Program is to encourage development of cutting-edge tumor immunologyresearch and facilitate its direct translation into novel immunotherapeutic protocols. Toward these ends, thefollowing four immediate goals continue to be pursued: (1) to develop new experimental tumor models usingtransgenio and gene-targeted mice that more closely recapitulate clinical aspects of human cancer, (2) toencourage the channeling of some of the extraordinary strengths that already exist within the immunologycommunity in the area of antigen processing and presentation into defining the nature and origins of tumorantigens, (3) to use the broad expertise base of the Program members to explore the roles of innate andadaptive immune response components in either promoting or suppressing anti-tumor immune responses,and (4) to increase the number of inter-departmental and/or collaborative tumor immunology researchprojects. The Program will achieve these goals by sponsoring a number of interactive scientific forums for itsmembers and their research teams and by employing the resources of the Siteman Cancer Center and itscores to encourage the active and interactive participation of both its basic and clinically oriented members.
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