Our Research
The following aspects make our training program unique and create a highly stimulating training environment:
Immunology is one of the leading disciplines at Harvard Medical School. Trainees in cancer immunology will have the opportunity to work with leading scientists and will be exposed to the latest discoveries in this dynamic field. Discoveries in basic immunology research at HMS have the potential to result in significant advances in cancer immunology and inform novel approaches to treatment.
Leading investigators in cancer immunology are members of this training program. Our investigators have a history of significant accomplishments in cancer immunology, both in basic and translational research.
We have highly active programs in basic, translational and clinical cancer immunology. This creates opportunities for classical ‘bench to bedside’ collaborations yet importantly also ‘bedside to bench’ research. An important example is the investigation of the cellular and molecular mechanisms responsible for responsiveness and resistance to cancer immunotherapy.
This training program has a strong didactic component in cancer immunology.
Trainees will have access to state-of-the-art technologies.
Examples are:
Our faculty research can be grouped based on the following broad and collaborative research themes:
Immunology is one of the leading disciplines at Harvard Medical School. Trainees in cancer immunology will have the opportunity to work with leading scientists and will be exposed to the latest discoveries in this dynamic field. Discoveries in basic immunology research at HMS have the potential to result in significant advances in cancer immunology and inform novel approaches to treatment.
Leading investigators in cancer immunology are members of this training program. Our investigators have a history of significant accomplishments in cancer immunology, both in basic and translational research.
We have highly active programs in basic, translational and clinical cancer immunology. This creates opportunities for classical ‘bench to bedside’ collaborations yet importantly also ‘bedside to bench’ research. An important example is the investigation of the cellular and molecular mechanisms responsible for responsiveness and resistance to cancer immunotherapy.
This training program has a strong didactic component in cancer immunology.
- An annual course in Cancer Immunology led by the PD and other faculty.
- An annual Cancer Immunology Retreat organized by the Department of Cancer Immunology and Virology at DFCI.
- Weekly Work in Progress Meetings organized by the Department of Cancer Immunology and Virology at which trainees will present once per year.
- Participation in the Annual Benacerraf Lecture, which will include a faculty-led discussion of the speaker’s major scientific contributions prior to the seminar and invitation to the dinner with the speaker and faculty.
- Participation in Fellowship Strategy Meetings designed to help our trainees with the writing of outstanding fellowship applications. These core elements of the curriculum are complemented by a wealth of courses and seminar series on immunology and tumor biology.
Trainees will have access to state-of-the-art technologies.
Examples are:
- A mass cytometry facility with two CyTOF instruments. This technology enables simultaneous interrogation of complex populations of immune cells with more than 30 antibodies labeled with heavy atom tags. This technology is particularly valuable for investigation of human tumor biopsy samples or any other sample with limited biomass.
- Trainees will have access to the single-cell RNA-seq platform at the Broad Institute.
- Dr. Sharpe has established a core facility for rapid generation of mutant mice using CRISPR/Cas9 technology. This method enables rapid introduction of point mutations or reporter genes. Such mouse strains are valuable for mechanistic studies of novel targets for cancer immunotherapy.
Our faculty research can be grouped based on the following broad and collaborative research themes:
- Targeting of inhibitory receptors for the treatment of cancer
- Next-generation cancer vaccines
- Cellular & molecular mechanisms promoting or inhibiting anti-tumor immunity
- Harvey Cantor, MD
- Stephanie Dougan, PhD
- Nir Hacohen, PhD
- Marin Hemler, PhD
- Wendy S. Garrett, MD, PhD
- Philip Kranzusch, PhD
- Judy Lieberman, MD, PhD
- Wayne Marasco, MD, PhD
- Thorsten Mempel, PhD
- Carl Novina, MD, PhD
- Mikael Pittet, PhD
- Francisco Quintana, PhD
- Jerome Ritz, MD
- Arlene Sharpe, MD, PhD
- Kai Wucherpfennig, MD, PhD
- Baochun Zhang, PhD