Novel Vaccine Formulation For Immunotherapy Of Adenocarcinomas
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$178,400.00
Summary
We have designed a vaccine based on a unique delivery system. Mice immunised with vaccine were protected from a tumour challenge. We will now design a vacine with a cancer associated protein so that people once immunised can make killer cells. Since humans have different genetic makeup we will produce a vacine which is more effective and will benefit everyone. This vaccine will be more effective than a current vacine in that has yielded promising results in humans.
The Role Of CD4+ T-helper Cells In The Generation, Maintenance And Activation Of A Long Lasting Anti-tumour CTL Effect.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$247,383.00
Summary
In this research project we will be studying the mechanisms how a long-lasting anti-cancer response could be achieved by vaccination. This information not only will help to design better vaccines against cancers, but also will help to design better vaccines against viral diseases.
Modulating Immune Responses By Targeting Dendritic Cells Using Dendritic Cell Specific Markers.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$197,750.00
Summary
The ability to modulate immune responses would have major health benefits. Dendritic cells (DC) are key regulators of the immune system. Different types of DC possess different cell surface molecules and have differing regulatory functions. We have identified four novel DC surface molecules that can be used to target different types of DC. We aim to use antibodies against these molecules to either enhance the effectiveness of vaccines or to suppress autoimmune diseases.
This Program Grant has three investigators, Professor Denis Moss, Dr Rajiv Khanna and Dr Scott Burrows, each of whom has collaborated on two previous Program Grants. The group is well known in the area of herpesvirus immunology and have published numerous scientific papers in leading medical journals. This program grant focuses on two human herpesviruses. The first is called Epstein-Barr virus which causes glandular fever and is associated with arange of human cancers. The second virus is human ....This Program Grant has three investigators, Professor Denis Moss, Dr Rajiv Khanna and Dr Scott Burrows, each of whom has collaborated on two previous Program Grants. The group is well known in the area of herpesvirus immunology and have published numerous scientific papers in leading medical journals. This program grant focuses on two human herpesviruses. The first is called Epstein-Barr virus which causes glandular fever and is associated with arange of human cancers. The second virus is human cytomegalovirus which can cause birth defects and problems in transplant patients. In this program we are investigating how the body�s immune system controls these viruses to exploit this information to develop new treatments.Read moreRead less
Evaluation Of Immune Responses To Multiple Tumour Antigens During Tumour Growth
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$451,980.00
Summary
It is becoming increasingly clear that cancerous tissues are not hidden from the body's immune system and yet, despite the generation of tumour-specific T cells and antibodies, the immune system does not often destroy solid tumour. Tumours express a large number of potential antigens (molecules in or on cancer cells that can be recognised by the immune system), but T cell responses to tumour antigens may be limited to only a few of these antigens (the dominating ones). These T cells could compet ....It is becoming increasingly clear that cancerous tissues are not hidden from the body's immune system and yet, despite the generation of tumour-specific T cells and antibodies, the immune system does not often destroy solid tumour. Tumours express a large number of potential antigens (molecules in or on cancer cells that can be recognised by the immune system), but T cell responses to tumour antigens may be limited to only a few of these antigens (the dominating ones). These T cells could compete with any other T cells that have been, or are being, generated, preventing their expansion and development into fully functional T cells. If this is true, then tumours will 'escape' immune mediated destruction, as a T cell response to only a few antigens is not likely to be enought to seriously perturb growing tumours. In this grant we will use a well established mouse model of cancer to evaluate immune responses to tumour antigens during tumour growth and try to understand why other potential antigens do not invoke a fully functional immune response. If we are successful, we will have made advances that could lead to new therapies for cancer.Read moreRead less
I am a cellular immunologist with expertise in antigen processing-presentation, CTL determinant selection and immunodominance, T cell differentiation and, cancer immunotherapeutic trials and cancer vaccine development.
Tumour Antigen Cross-presentation: Efficiency, Biology And Role Of Inhibitory B7 Homologue Molecules
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$469,500.00
Summary
It is now known that the body s immune system often attempts to attack cancers but this response is generally fairly weak. It was previously thought that one of the main reasons for this failure was that the immune system was ignorant of the presence of the cancer until too late. Our recent work over the past few years has shown that this is not the case. A process called cross-presentation seems to efficiently and continuously expose the cancer to the body s anti-cancer killer T-cells. This gra ....It is now known that the body s immune system often attempts to attack cancers but this response is generally fairly weak. It was previously thought that one of the main reasons for this failure was that the immune system was ignorant of the presence of the cancer until too late. Our recent work over the past few years has shown that this is not the case. A process called cross-presentation seems to efficiently and continuously expose the cancer to the body s anti-cancer killer T-cells. This grant will work out exactly how efficient that process is, which cells are responsible and some aspects of how it happens. We will also study whether some recently-discovered braking molecules, which slow down immune responses and which could be 'applying the brakes' to anti-cancer responses. This could lead to new approaches to therapy eg by removing these brakes during vaccination therapy.Read moreRead less
Polynucleotide Vaccine Based On Targeted Delivery To Antigen Presenting Cells
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$540,075.00
Summary
We have previously generated a vaccine for breast and other adenocarcinomas by linking a breast cancer associated protein, MUC-1, to a sugar called mannan. This complex was capable of eradicating tumours in mice and its efficacy has been evaluated in human clinical trials (12 in total). As an extension to these studies we have now found that this sugar, mannan, can be used to deliver DNA to immune cells. The current project will evaluate a DNA vaccine for breast cancer.