Recent research from Investigators within the PICI Network showcases significant progress in enhancing the effectiveness of cancer immunotherapies. These groundbreaking studies highlight several innovative approaches to overcome the immunosuppressive mechanisms often found within the tumor microenvironment: →UCLA, University of California, San Francisco & City of Hope: A research team, including PICI Investigators Yvonne Chen, PhD, UCLA, Robert Prins, PhD, UCLA, Hideho Okada, MD, PhD, UCSF, and Christine Brown, PhD, City of Hope, has successfully engineered CAR T cells that cleverly reprogram the immunosuppressive factor TGF-β into an immunostimulant. This innovative approach has demonstrated improved efficacy against glioblastoma, a notoriously difficult-to-treat brain cancer. https://lnkd.in/eCNc5jVV →University of California, San Francisco: In a PICI-funded study, scientists including Kole Roybal, PhD, and Lawrence Fong, MD, Director and Co-director of the PICI Center at UCSF, have uncovered critical factors contributing to CAR T cell exhaustion in multiple myeloma patients, paving the way for new strategies to enhance T cell persistence and potentially extend remission times. https://lnkd.in/eC5mgNpe →Dana-Farber Cancer Institute: Researchers led by PICI Investigator Rizwan Romee, MD, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, have demonstrated the remarkable potential of cytokine-induced memory-like NK cells, particularly when equipped with CARs, as a promising therapeutic option against ovarian cancer. https://lnkd.in/grRkD3iP →University of Pennsylvania: A groundbreaking discovery from a research team including PICI Investigators Gerald P. Linette, MD, PhD, and Avery Posey, Jr., Ph.D.., MD, PhD, has revealed that deleting the CD5 gene in CAR T cells significantly enhances their antitumor activity across multiple cancer types, opening new avenues for more potent and effective immunotherapies. https://lnkd.in/eD4D7NmK These breakthroughs and ongoing research by PICI Investigators represent significant progress toward more effective cancer treatments that fully leverage the immune system's capabilities. To stay informed about our progress and future research initiatives, follow PICI and subscribe to our twice-monthly newsletter. Your engagement helps drive this important work forward: https://www.parkerici.org/
Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy
Research Services
San Francisco, CA 15,162 followers
Our mission is to accelerate the development of breakthrough immune therapies to turn all cancers into curable diseases
About us
For decades, entrenched infrastructure barriers have slowed progress in the fight against cancer and the development of potent immunotherapies. The Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy breaks down these barriers. The result is groundbreaking new research and an intellectual property model that builds collaboration between researchers, nonprofits and industry all working together to get treatments to patients faster.
- Website
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http://www.parkerici.org
External link for Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy
- Industry
- Research Services
- Company size
- 11-50 employees
- Headquarters
- San Francisco, CA
- Type
- Nonprofit
- Founded
- 2016
Locations
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Primary
1 Letterman Drive
D3500
San Francisco, CA 94129, US
Employees at Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy
Updates
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Don’t miss Episodes 4-6 of “From Bench to Fireside,” now available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify! Join host and PICI Chief Scientific Officer, John Connolly, PhD, for in-depth conversations with leading experts in immuno-oncology. → Episode 4: Christopher A. Klebanoff, M.D., MD, PICI Investigator at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, on T cell activation and the power of collaboration in cancer research. → Episode 5: Bhardwaj Nina, MD, PhD, PICI Collaborator and the Director of Immunotherapy at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, on the evolution of treatment approaches, mentorship and personalized vaccines. → Episode 6: Justin Eyquem, PhD, PICI Investigator, University of California, San Francisco, and former Parker Senior Fellow, on the cutting edge of CAR T-cell therapies and the role of synthetic biology in cancer immunotherapy. Subscribe to "From Bench to Fireside" for valuable insights into the latest breakthroughs in cancer immunotherapy. https://lnkd.in/gKBZuSKV
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PICI is taking a major step forward in our audacious mission to turn all cancers into curable diseases. Today we announced a new $125 million commitment to expand research efforts and drive innovative immunotherapy development. This new funding commitment, the largest since our founding in 2016, will help further propel our collaborative approach to accelerating breakthrough immuno-oncology treatments for patients. These funds will be strategically distributed as grants over the next five years to support the PICI Network’s world-renowned experts from leading cancer institutions, including PICI Centers at Stanford University School of Medicine, UCLA, University of California, San Francisco, University of Pennsylvania, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Gladstone Institutes and Weill Cornell Medicine. PICI also supports cutting-edge cancer research at institutions such as Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, MD Anderson Cancer Center, City of Hope, Washington University in St. Louis and Fred Hutch Cancer Center. In just eight years, PICI has made remarkable strides in advancing cancer immunotherapy. We've supported over 440 research projects and clinical trials, involving more than 850 scientists. We've also invested in 17 biotech startups working on next-generation immunotherapies. And that’s just the beginning. On behalf of patients in urgent need of breakthroughs and powered by this new investment in our mission, PICI remains focused on making big bets on bold ideas and uniting the brightest minds to continue pushing the boundaries of immuno-oncology. Read more: https://lnkd.in/eg7itbgP
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New research published in Nature Communications by a team including PICI Investigators at the University of Pennsylvania, Robert Vonderheide, MD, DPhil, and Erica Carpenter, M.B.A., Ph.D., and PICI’s Sr. Director of Clinical Research Chris Cabanski, PhD, has revealed variant-specific differences in circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) as a potential prognostic biomarker for metastatic #pancreaticcancer (mPDAC). Researchers analyzed ctDNA levels of KRAS mutations (ctKRAS) in plasma from pancreatic cancer patients receiving chemoimmunotherapy or standard chemotherapy. Findings showed that higher baseline ctKRAS G12D levels were associated with worse overall survival and progression-free survival but, ctKRAS G12V levels showed no such association, suggesting that ctKRAS G12D, not G12V, could be a promising prognostic biomarker for mPDAC and that G12D clearance could also serve as an early biomarker of response. While more research is needed to understand the biological basis for these differences and their implications for patient care, this initial work expands our understanding of the role of ctDNA in pancreatic cancer and could pave the way for new approaches for personalized medicine in pancreatic cancer treatment and monitoring. Read more in Nature Communications: https://lnkd.in/eBiMkfYt
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Research led by 2023 Parker Scholar Chris McGinnis, PhD, Stanford University School of Medicine, and PICI Investigator Ansuman Satpathy, MD, PhD, Stanford University School of Medicine, has unveiled critical insights into the dynamic immune landscape changes that enable #breastcancer metastasis. Published in Cancer Cell (Cell Press), this PICI-funded study utilized cutting-edge single-cell RNA sequencing to construct longitudinal atlases tracking immune cell phenotypes and populations in metastatic breast cancer models. The team’s analysis revealed that pre-metastatic niche formation correlated with a TLR-NFκB inflammatory program enacted by myeloid cells, mirroring “activated” cells in the primary tumor. Unlike in primary tumors, the proportion of cytotoxic natural killer cells increased during metastasis in both mice and human patients. This study enhances our understanding of the complex immune remodeling that takes place during breast cancer metastasis, and the identification of dynamic regulation of CCL6 and IGF1 signaling pathways in specific cell types presents promising new targets for anti-metastatic treatments. Congratulations to the research team on these important findings, which represent a significant step toward the development of more effective treatments that could specifically target and disrupt the metastatic process. Read more in Cancer Cell: https://lnkd.in/erC7eucC
The temporal progression of lung immune remodeling during breast cancer metastasis
cell.com
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New results from a phase 1 clinical trial led by Stanford researchers, including Crystal Mackall, MD, PICI Center Director, at Stanford University School of Medicine, and published in The Lancet reveal a potential breakthrough in cancer immunotherapy for patients with relapsed or refractory large B-cell lymphoma (LBCL). The study focused on CAR22 T-cell therapy, a type of immunotherapy in which a patient's T-cells are engineered to produce a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) designed to recognize and bind to the CD22 protein on cancer cells. This innovative therapy presents a new avenue for patients who have exhausted other treatment options, including similar therapies targeting the CD19 protein, which have shown limited efficacy in this patient population. The trial results were remarkable, with 68% of patients responding to CAR22 T-cell therapy and 53% achieving complete remission – a significant outcome for this resistant form of cancer. Notably, the treatment was well-tolerated, with a lower incidence of severe side effects compared to other CAR T-cell therapies. These promising findings from the team at Stanford pave the way for an expanded, multi-center study to further evaluate the efficacy and safety of CAR22, potentially reshaping the treatment landscape for LBCL and providing a much-needed lifeline for patients who previously had few options. → Explore the full paper in The Lancet: https://lnkd.in/ePBDVSp2 → Read the news article from Stanford: https://lnkd.in/eFgwCN8P → Hear more about Dr. Mackall on our From Bench to Fireside podcast: https://lnkd.in/eNjzA-Ur
CD22-directed CAR T-cell therapy for large B-cell lymphomas progressing after CD19-directed CAR T-cell therapy: a dose-finding phase 1 study
thelancet.com
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Congratulations to PICI Investigator and former Parker Senior Fellow Justin Eyquem, PhD, University of California, San Francisco, on his selection as a 2024 Pew-Stewart Scholar for Cancer Research. This prestigious four-year grant recognizes his significant contributions to the field and supports his ongoing efforts to advance cancer immunotherapy. Dr. Eyquem, who is also an affiliate investigator at Gladstone Institutes, focuses his pioneering research on refining CAR T-cell therapy to eliminate costly production steps. This work aims to address the critical need to make these potentially curative treatments more accessible, affordable, and faster to produce for cancer patients. We look forward to the impact of Dr. Eyquem's continued work in improving cancer treatment outcomes. → Read the comprehensive announcements from Gladstone Institutes and UCSF : https://lnkd.in/eqRzGbD2 and https://lnkd.in/gjkYWYGP → Listen to his detailed discussion on our "From Bench to Fireside" podcast series: https://lnkd.in/e-BtCcpY
Justin Eyquem Named a 2024 Pew-Stewart Scholar for Cancer Research
gladstone.org
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Just in time in advance of the long holiday weekend, the July edition of The Immuno-Oncology Digest is here, featuring PICI Network updates, industry insights, scientific breakthroughs, partner collaborations and more. In this issue: - PICI announced its 2024 class of Early Career Researchers. Now in its eighth year, this year's awardees will receive over $1 million in total to support their pioneering immunotherapy research. - New research from the University of Pennsylvania published in Science, led by PICI Investigator Andy Minn, MD, PhD, and team, including 2023 Parker Scholar Divij Mathew, PhD, PICI Investigator Alexander Huang, MD, and E. John Wherry, PhD, Co-Director of the PICI Center at Penn, which shows promising results for advanced #lungcancer treatment. - A new article in Nature Medicine, in which Crystal Mackall, MD, PICI Center Director, Stanford University School of Medicine, and team, including PICI Site Administrator Casey Carr, propose an alternate path for the development and commercialization of pediatric cell and gene therapies in order to increase access. - New research led by 2023 Parker Scholar Chris McGinnis, PhD, Stanford University School of Medicine, and PICI Investigator Ansuman Satpathy, MD, PhD, Stanford University School of Medicine, published in Cancer Cell (Cell Press) and funded by PICI, that unveils important insights into the dynamic immune landscape changes that enable breast cancer metastasis. Read the full issue: https://lnkd.in/eCUMuSdp Subscribe for updates: https://lnkd.in/dEm2qHz
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PICI proudly marched in the San Francisco Pride Parade today, celebrating diversity and inclusion with the LGBTQIA+ community. Our contingent was made up of PICI staff, family, allies and friends from across our network, including University of California, San Francisco, Gladstone Institutes and California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM). We stand with the LGBTQIA+ community in advocating for equality, recognizing that a welcoming environment empowers our network’s brilliant minds to pursue bold ideas and challenge conventional thinking. Embracing diverse perspectives equips us to tackle complex challenges in immuno-oncology research and accelerate breakthrough cancer treatments. Thank you to everyone who marched alongside us today, embodying the spirit of collaboration and determination that define the PICI Network. We were inspired by the energy, courage and pure joy that filled the streets of San Francisco. #SFPride #PICIPride
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PICI is thrilled to announce our 2024 class of Early Career Researcher awardees. Each of these bright and bold investigators is propelling the field of cancer #immunotherapy through their pioneering research, sharing in PICI’s mission to accelerate the development of breakthrough immune therapies to turn all cancers into curable diseases. This year’s awards total over $1 million and grant awardees membership into the PICI Network, a group of internationally renowned IO leaders. This support is designed to empower recipients to advance their critical work on gene networks, synthetic receptors, metastatic stem cells and engineered immune cells. - Parker Bridge Fellow Zachary Steinhart, PhD, Gladstone Institutes: Zachary’s research focuses on the interrogation of gene networks controlling human cytotoxic T cell function with next-generation CRISPR screens. - Parker Scholar Maxwell Foisey, PhD candidate, the University of California, San Francisco: Maxwell’s research focuses on how novel hybrid synthetic receptors deliver immunomodulatory payloads, enhancing solid tumor T-cell therapy. - Parker Scholar Debolina Ganguly, PhD, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute: Debolina is working to identify the mechanistic underpinnings by which metastatic stem cells promote systemic tolerance to tumor antigens and suppress responses to immunotherapy. - Parker Scholar Sean Yamada-Hunter, PhD, Stanford University School of Medicine: Sean is studying harnessing engineered CD47 to develop T cell and macrophage combination immunotherapy for rapid clinical translation. Congratulations to the 2024 awardees! PICI is honored to support your research and looks forward to the future innovations that will emerge from your work. With a legacy of awarding over $22.5 million through 53 total awards since 2016, PICI is proud to help cultivate a new generation of immuno-oncology leaders. Read more about PICI, the award and our recipients here: https://lnkd.in/eMEsdCbF
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