News and Events

Clinical trial studies breast cancer drug abemaciclib as a therapy for Kaposi sarcoma

Kaposi sarcoma (KS) is a rare cancer that causes patches of abnormal tissue to develop in different regions of the body, and lesions in the lungs, liver, or digestive tract can be life-threatening. Investigators are studying abemaciclib, a drug used for people with breast cancer, to see if it can positively impact those with KS.

Rosenberg, Waldmann named 2021 Fellows of the Academy of Immuno-Oncology

Steven A. Rosenberg, M.D., Ph.D., Chief of the Surgery Branch, and Thomas A. Waldmann, M.D., Chief Emeritus of the Lymphoid Malignancies Branch (honored posthumously), have been named 2021 Fellows of the Academy of Immuno-Oncology, one of the most prestigious honors from the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC). The Academy of Immuno-Oncology was established to honor individuals who have launched the field of cancer immunotherapy into the breakthrough cancer treatment it is today and to bring together the brightest minds in the field to continue to advance SITC, the field and the next generation of immuno-oncologists.

Gut bacteria sculpt innate immunity within the tumor microenvironment

New research reveals how gut bacteria reprogram innate immune cells to activate and recruit cells important for anti-cancer immunity, keeping tumor growth in check and improving the response to cancer immunotherapy.

A conversation with Hunter Lab members about the Deaf Student Training Program

Kent W. Hunter, Ph.D., Senior Investigator in the Laboratory of Cancer Biology and Genetics, leads the Deaf Student Training Program (DSTP) for budding scientists who are deaf or hard-of-hearing. In honor of National Disability Employment Awareness Month, DSTP participants talk about their experiences in the program, and Dr. Hunter offers his thoughts as a cancer researcher and disability ally.

Clinical trial evaluates new combination therapy for virus-associated malignancies

Several viruses can cause cancer and less toxic and more effective treatments are urgently needed for these cancers. Kathryn A. Lurain, M.D., M.P.H., Assistant Research Physician in the HIV and AIDS Malignancy Branch, is leading a trial of a combination treatment for virus-associated malignancies.

In Memoriam: Thomas A. Waldmann, M.D. (1930-2021)

The CCR mourns the recent passing of longtime colleague and friend, Thomas A. Waldmann, M.D., Chief Emeritus of the Lymphoid Malignancies Branch, NIH Distinguished Investigator and immunology pioneer.

New tool helps researchers make sense of complex immune signals

Drawing on thousands of prior studies, CCR scientists have developed a computational tool that helps predict how immune cells’ molecular communications impact cancer, infection control and inflammatory disease.

Diagram illustrates how the hydrogel platform delivers therapy directly to cancer cells

Newly developed gel can be used to treat cancers that form on organ surfaces

Researchers at CCR engineered a hydrogel carrying nanoparticles that can be sprayed or administered by syringe as part of a surgical strategy for cancers that develop on the outer surface of organs. When applied topically, the gel can reach small deposits of cancer cells that might have been missed during surgery. This approach has the potential to change the treatment paradigm for mesothelioma and possibly for other cancers that form on the surface of organs.

Clinical trial studies targeted therapy for PARP-resistant tumors and chemotherapy-resistant small cell lung cancer

Anish Thomas, M.B.B.S., M.D., Lasker Clinical Research Scholar in the Developmental Therapeutics Branch, is leading a study using a berzosertib-sacituzumab govitecan combination to target ATR, a key protein involved in an alternative DNA repair pathway used by chemotherapy and PARP inhibitor-resistant cancer cells.

brain tissue before exposure to the experimental nanoparticles

Immunotherapy studied in clinical trial for glioblastoma or gliosarcoma

Adults with glioblastoma (GBM) or gliosarcoma may be eligible to participate in a clinical trial at the NIH Clinical Center. GBM and gliosarcoma tumors can suppress the immune system so immune cells cannot work effectively within the brain. Mark Gilbert, M.D., Chief of the Neuro-Oncology Branch, is leading a study to see if this suppression can be reversed with immune checkpoint inhibitors.

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