Cancer & Immunotherapy

Cancer is the second leading cause of death worldwide, after heart disease. However, the risk of dying from cancer has decreased over the past few decades due in part to advances in treatments, diagnosis and prevention — some that have notably been made at UCLA. 

Partnering closely with the UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, our researchers are developing novel stem-cell based therapies and bringing them to clinical trials to help patients battling some of the most aggressive, treatment-resistant cancers. As they work to better understand the characteristics of cancer — what makes cancer cells grow and spread — they’re uncovering new ways to exploit the weaknesses of these cells. These insights will lead to discoveries that could build on recent progress and dramatically shift the future of cancer treatment.

Several projects focus on optimizing currently available and future immunotherapy A type of treatment that uses the body's own immune system to fight cancer, infections and other diseases. This approach has revolutionized cancer care and is also being applied in experimental treatments for HIV, lupus and other conditions. immunotherapy A type of treatment that uses the body's own immune system to fight cancer, infections and other diseases. This approach has revolutionized cancer care and is also being applied in experimental treatments for HIV, lupus and other conditions. approaches by devising innovative strategies to make them more effective, safe and accessible. For example, our scientists are creating a gene-engineered platform that produces universal, off-the-shelf A type of "universal" cell therapy that can safely be used in any person. These experimental therapies rely on healthy donor cells that — either due to their unique properties or thanks to genetic modification — do not carry the risk of being rejected by patients' immune systems. Because these therapies do not have to be manufactured on a patient-specific basis, they can benefit more patients and reach them in a faster, more cost-effective way.  off-the-shelf A type of "universal" cell therapy that can safely be used in any person. These experimental therapies rely on healthy donor cells that — either due to their unique properties or thanks to genetic modification — do not carry the risk of being rejected by patients' immune systems. Because these therapies do not have to be manufactured on a patient-specific basis, they can benefit more patients and reach them in a faster, more cost-effective way.  CAR- T cells White blood cells that naturally fight against disease-causing invaders using specialized molecules, called receptors, on their cell surface. The receptors help T cells seek out and destroy virus-infected cells or cancer cells. T cells White blood cells that naturally fight against disease-causing invaders using specialized molecules, called receptors, on their cell surface. The receptors help T cells seek out and destroy virus-infected cells or cancer cells. to make T-cell immunotherapy more widely available for the treatment of a range of cancers, including blood cancers like leukemia and multiple myeloma and solid organ cancers like brain, breast and prostate cancer. They’re also developing an injectable personalized cancer vaccine booster to treat and prevent tumor recurrence, a medical challenge current treatments such as chemotherapy and radiation can’t effectively address.