Cancer Immunology Group

Whilst seminal observations using immunocompromised mice have provided compelling evidence for tumour immunosurveillance, many fundamental questions remain unanswered in the field of tumour immunology.

The types of immune effector cells/molecules capable of controlling tumour growth in vivo have not yet been definitively identified. Furthermore, although many pathways of tumour-induced immunosuppression are thought to contribute to the overall paucity of anti-tumour immunity, these pathways remain poorly characterised.

Aims

• To identify pathways that limit tumour growth and those that impede effective anti-tumour immunity. This information is essential to inform the design of successful cancer therapy.

Central to this aim, our grouping in Cardiff, through studies of prostate cancer, breast cancer, cervical cancer, colorectal cancer, mesothelioma, and leukaemia, focuses on:

• Engineering T cell receptors to enhance tumour recognition.
• Evaluating the impact of regulatory T cells on tumour progression.
• Exosomes in cancer immunology.
• Gamma/delta T cells for cellular immunotherapy.
• Therapies for chronic lymphocytic leukaemia.
• Immune recognition and evasion in cancer.

We use in vivo and in vitro models, including direct analyses of samples from cancer patients and clinical trials to test novel approaches for therapeutic intervention.