This laboratory is focused on questions related to the mechanisms and efficacy of new biological and immunological therapies for treatment of cancer.  This focus is reflected in each of several integrated basic science and clinical projects, including study of lymphocyte biology, tumor immunology, immunotherapy and prevention of tumor escape from immune detection.  Several areas of research currently underway in this laboratory include study of:  

1. Cellular changes that occur in lymphocytes in response to antigen-induced activation and changes in various physiological states such as hyperthermia/fever. 
2. Effects of hyperthermia on anti-tumor immune responses and efficacy of chemotherapy, vaccines and other immunotherapies, and analysis of anti-tumor immune responses in patients undergoing Immunotherapy, including whole body hyperthermia.  
3. Long-term cancer survivors to help identify the most effective immunotherapies/vaccines for patients whose disease has progressed.    
4. New human tumor antigen identification that may serve as the basis of  vaccine     development.

To help accomplish all of these goals, immunodeficient SCID mice are being used to expand human tumors derived from surgical specimens. This resource is used for molecular studies of tumor progression and metastasis and as a source of human tumor cells/antigen for detection of antitumor T cells and antibodies. These well-characterized mouse models bearing various human tumors are used to assess the effects of other new treatment strategies, including the testing of novel cytokines and recombinant molecules (e.g., CD40L, TRAIL, IL-12, IL-15, flt-3L) and antibodies that target human tumor antigens.