Our research
Our primary research aim is to understand the interaction between cancer and the immune system, with the aim of exploiting this relationship to develop new therapeutic strategies for patients with liver cancer and other GI malignancies. We believe that the complex and intriguing relationship between cancer and the immune system can be broken down into four major research questions:
- How do developing tumors interfere with and suppress the immune response that should be directed against them?
- How does tumor cell death—as a result of specific anti-cancer treatments, including molecular targeted therapies—affect the immune response directed against the tumor?
- How do we develop efficient immune-based treatments against GI malignancies?
- What is the most effective way to combine both immune- and non-immune-based treatments to achieve the strongest therapeutic effect?
To answer these four critical questions, our research program involves a “twin track” approach, combining preclinical (or laboratory-centered) research with clinical (or patient-centered) research. We believe that this strongly translational approach, whereby the bench and the bedside are closely linked, offers the best chance of developing effective therapies for patients with liver cancer and other GI tumors. Currently, our preclinical research program is primarily focused on the question of how anti-cancer treatments affect the anti-tumor immune response and how this immune response might be improved to result in concrete benefit to patients. In the same manner, information that we obtain from our clinical studies involving patients is used to inform our laboratory work so that there is constant crosstalk between our laboratory and the clinic. The ultimate aim of this approach is to bring stronger therapeutic options to the clinic so that our patients derive a practical and meaningful benefit.
