This issue of Milestones highlights some of our scientific advances in FY 2022-2023.
Every piece of research we do in CCR opens doors. The basic discoveries made in our laboratories unlock unexplored new areas of cancer biology and every drug and therapy we test in the clinic gives cancer patients access to new cancer medicines.
This issue of Milestones features some of the major scientific advances CCR teams have made in the past year that reveal new aspects of cancer biology and treatment.
The discoveries highlighted here are but a small selection of the broad palette of the meaningful work done in CCR. They all contribute towards our ongoing quest for better, more precise medicines for all people suffering from cancer and to prevent cancer in the first place.
These advances address many of the most pressing challenges in cancer research. CCR scientists have identified novel biomarkers that predict a patient’s immunotherapy outcomes or that are associated with higher risk of cancer in specific ethnic groups. We have contributed to the most detailed classification systems of brain tumors based on molecular markers and to powerful new tools to predict the treatment response of immunotherapy and to tailor patient-specific treatments using advanced computational methods and transcriptomics.
A striking example of the importance of precision in medicine is the demonstration of high treatment efficiency in a subgroup of lymphoma patients but not in the general population. Conversely, our scientists are also developing simplified immunotherapy approaches for use in low-resource settings.
Other advances contribute more indirectly to the development of new cancer treatments by uncovering the fundamentals of cancer biology. We harnessed artificial intelligence to generate the most comprehensive characterization of molecular features of T-cell activation, and we discovered the molecular fingerprint of the most effective T cells for use in cell-based immunotherapy approaches. We developed advanced imaging techniques to visualize the atomic structure of cancer signaling molecules and we observed cancer stem cells in action using live cell microscopy.
Much of what we do in CCR is about opening doors. We are fascinated by the unknown that lies beyond them and we are motivated by the new opportunities we will find. Some doors open to new discoveries, some unlock new treatments, but all offer a vista of progress and hope for every cancer patient.
Tom Misteli
Director
NCI Center for Cancer Research