Immunology & Cancer Immunotherapy

Immunotherapy for the treatment of cancer has continued to be a primary focus of the Immunology and Cancer Immunotherapy Research Program.

Image
Mary Jo Turk, PhD

Mary Jo Turk, PhD
Co-Director

Image
Kenneth R. Meehan, MD

Kenneth R. Meehan, MD
Co-Director

The mission of the Program is to create an interdisciplinary environment in which important scientific questions in cancer immunology can be addressed and the development of new immunotherapeutic strategies for the treatment of cancer is facilitated.

Image
Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth
Image
Thayer School of Engineering at Dartmouth
Image
Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth

The Program achieves this goal by providing resources and activities that foster meaningful interactions among and between basic cancer researchers and clinicians. The Program nurtures these interactions by assisting in the training of young scientists who will pursue careers in the immunology of cancer; by providing forums for the exchange of scientific ideas, and by funding early efforts in translational cancer immunology.

Program themes and highlights

Members of the Immunology and Cancer Immunotherapy Research Program are investigating the following areas:

  • Immune regulation
  • Alteration of the tumor microenvironment (TME) for therapeutic benefit
  • Translational Immunotherapy

Program highlights

Immunology and Cancer Immunotherapy Program Entrepreneurship

The Immunology and Cancer Immunotherapy Program has a notable history of entrepreneurship, with current and former members (Drs. Michael Fanger and Paul Guyre) having founded Medarex in 1987.

Medarex (purchased by Bristoll Meyers Squib in 2009) developed the first immune checkpoint inhibitor drugs (ipilimumab and nivolumab) for cancer patients.

ICIP scientists currently work closely with industrial partners Immunext, Inc.; Celdara Medical, LLC; and Occulo Bio to translate immunotherapeutic discoveries to the clinic.

Articles featuring ICIP investigators and their recent work