ARTHUR AND SANDRA IRVING Center for Cancer Immunology

The Arthur and Sandra Irving Center for Cancer Immunology is a catalyst for discovery, fostering innovation and accelerating progress in cancer immunology, one of the most promising frontiers in cancer research.

We are in the midst of a revolution in the treatment of cancer. By harnessing and enhancing the body’s immune system, we can reduce tumor burden in patients and, in a subset of patients and cancers, achieve long-lasting remission. This has led to FDA approval of immune-based treatments for melanoma, lung cancer and kidney cancer — with many more cancers soon to be impacted. To accelerate and expand this ongoing revolution, we need to understand what drives immune responses against a tumor; determine why some patients experience effective immune responses while others do not; develop and bring safe and effective immunotherapies to patients; and invent completely new immune-based therapeutic strategies.

Faculty at the Arthur and Sandra Irving Center for Cancer Immunology are working to advance our understanding of cancer immunity and harness the immune system to cure cancer. Our approach to research and innovation includes training the next generation of leaders in cancer immunology. The Center includes:

• The Irving Cancer Immunology Innovation Award will support bold, high-risk, high-reward ideas with the potential to transform cancer immunology and accelerate progress for patients. These awards are designed to enable innovative work that is too early or unconventional for traditional grant funding, while positioning successful projects to attract future support from external sources.
• The Irving Cancer Immunology Translational Award offers critical funding for clinical trial correlatives: amplifying the impact of a clinical trial by going beyond the trial’s original goals. Winning applications will focus on identifying biomarkers, revealing disease mechanisms, and measuring responses to gain a better understanding of which patients respond best and why.
• The Arthur and Sandra Irving Cancer Immunology Innovation Retreat, an annual retreat, brings together scientific and clinical experts further leading-edge immuno-oncology at the Arthur and Sandra Irving Center for Cancer Immunology. By sharing their work and exploring new pathways, we aim to develop new ideas and directions to creatively move the field forward.
• The Arthur and Sandra Irving Cancer Immunology Symposium, an international symposium, brings together the most talented researchers in immuno-oncology across all cancer types and from around the world to share knowledge and ideas and to establish connections that will help speed progress. The Symposium helps strengthen the pipeline of future leaders in cancer immunology by providing the opportunity to develop strong ties with senior faculty mentors and learn about the different paths to success in cancer immunology research.

To learn more, please contact Megan Daniels at MEDANIELS@mgh.harvard.edu.