Michael A. Caligiuri, MD

Preclinical findings reported in the journal Cell could lead to a new type of immunotherapy

According to preclinical research published online today in Cell, one of the world’s premier scientific journals, researchers with City of Hope®, one of the largest cancer treatment and research organizations in the United States, have discovered that a type of immune cell in the human body known to be important for allergy and other immune responses can also attack cancer.

Furthermore, these cells, called human type 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2s), can be expanded outside of the body and applied in larger numbers to overpower a tumor’s defenses and eliminate malignant cells in mouse models with cancer… Continue reading.

A new study published in Science Immunology points to a promising therapeutic approach for future cancer treatments based on natural killer cells (NK), which are immune cells that bind to tumor cells and destroy them.

City of Hope scientists created a knockout mouse model for a protein called XBP1s to explore the molecule’s effect on NK cells and its role in fighting cancer. Earlier studies showed that XBPIs strengthened the survival of NK cells, but precisely how was unclear… Continue reading.

Among the hurdles to treating brain cancer is the fact that glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) cells burrow into brain tissue, which makes them difficult to wipe out with conventional treatments like surgery, radiation and chemotherapy. Moreover, they’re “cold” tumors, meaning they don’t contain immune cells that can easily be targeted with immunotherapies.

Now, scientists from City of Hope have found a way to warm up GBM, potentially unveiling a new therapeutic strategy. In a study published Nov. 10 in Nature, the researchers described how they packed two different therapies into a single oncolytic virus—a virus that is used to destroy cancer cells—to hit GBM from multiple angles. The survival time doubled from around 18 days to 40 in half the mice that received the treatment… Continue reading.

City of Hope researchers have engineered an immunotherapy using natural killer cells with a specific molecule that can target the SARS-CoV-2 virus’ spike protein, providing a novel therapeutic pathway for the treatment of COVID-19 and other infections that include the spike protein, according to a study published in Nature Communications. The research adds to City of Hope’s leadership in using CAR T cell therapy, natural killer cells and other immunotherapies to help find better treatments against cancer and other diseases.

“The importance of this off-the-shelf therapy is that one does not need to use one’s own cells — the cells can be frozen and ready to go, locally or shipped anywhere around the world,” said Michael Caligiuri, M.D., president of City of Hope National Medical Center, the Deana and Steve Campbell Physician-in-Chief Distinguished Chair and one of the study’s authors… Continue reading.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE) has announced the election of Michael A. Caligiuri, MD, President, Hematology, City of Hope to its College of Fellows. Dr. Caligiuri was nominated, reviewed, and elected by peers and members of the AIMBE College of Fellows for discoveries in basic lymphocyte biology, and the translation into highly impactful applications for treating cancer.

The College of Fellows is comprised of the top two percent of medical and biological engineers in the country. The most accomplished and distinguished engineering and medical school chairs, research directors, professors, innovators, and successful entrepreneurs comprise the College of Fellows. AIMBE Fellows are regularly recognized for their contributions in teaching, research, and innovation. AIMBE Fellows have been awarded the Nobel Prize, the Presidential Medal of Science and the Presidential Medal of Technology and Innovation, and many also are members of the National Academy of Engineering, National Academy of Medicine, and the National Academy of Sciences… Continue reading.