YCC launches new Yale Center for Immuno-Oncology

Yale Cancer Center (YCC) has launched the Yale Center for Immuno-Oncology (YCIO). The new center will build on YCC's international leadership in immunobiology, cancer immunology, and development of novel cancer immunotherapies. It is a partnership between YCC and the department of Immunobiology at Yale University.

"This new center gives us the chance to work more collaboratively and efficiently with our world-renowned scientists and faculty to address scientific questions in Immuno-Oncology," said Roy Herbst, M.D., Ph.D., chief of Medical Oncology at YCC, and interim director of YCIO. "We hope we can transform the way we treat people affected by cancer by generating research advances more quickly in this groundbreaking field."

"The addition of YCIO continues our goal to expand the depth and breadth of our science, including the broadening of our translational research infrastructure," said Charles S. Fuchs, M.D., M.P.H., director of YCC.

The goals for YCIO include:

• Leverage Yale leadership in immunobiology and immunotherapy drug development.

• Develop the next generation of immune-based therapies.

• Genetically engineer immune cells to target a patient's cancer (cell therapies).

Lieping Chen, M.D., Ph.D., is co-director of the Cancer Immunology Program at YCC. Chen is recognized as having set the research foundation for the success of immunotherapy. "I look forward to helping to lead future research directions in immune-oncology with the YCIO," said Chen.​

Source: http://yalecancercenter.org/news/article.aspx?id=16921