Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy Program

14.0 Abstract: Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy (TII) Program
The TII Program is an interdisciplinary program that pursues highly innovative basic science research and
translational/clinical trials. The overall goal of the TII Program is to develop and implement immune-based
strategies to monitor and treat cancer. To achieve this goal, the program focuses on three research aims: Aim 1:
Cell-based and regulatory pathway-targeted cancer immunotherapies—Develop cell-based and regulatory
pathway-targeted cancer immunotherapies that are capable of reducing or monitoring malignant cell growth.
Aim 2: Calibrating immune regulation—Develop strategies to overcome tumor-induced immunosuppression
and to mitigate immunotherapy-related adverse effects. Aim 3: Cancer and inflammation—Elucidate the roles
of infection and inflammatory responses in cancer development. The TII Program is an interdisciplinary research
and educational program. Program members are dedicated to understanding the immune regulation of malignant
disease and translating this knowledge into the development of novel diagnostic and treatment regimens. The
TII Program has 35 members, including 18 full members and 17 associate members, who conduct cancer-
focused research supported by $16.6 million annual direct cost funding ($21.7 million total), including $1.9 million
(11.2%) from NCI and $10.5 million from other peer-reviewed sources. TII Program members receive $4.3 million
annually from non–peer-reviewed funding sources. During this funding period, TII members authored 371
cancer-related publications, of which 15% resulted from intraprogrammatic, 30% from interprogrammatic, and
6% from intra and interprogrammatic collaborations; 64% of publications include collaborations with external
investigators, reflecting the high national impact of the TII Program, and 14% of TII publications were in journals
with an impact factor ≥10. The research efforts of TII faculty are supported by extensive use of all shared
services. The TII Program is integrated with the other research programs at the University of Maryland Marlene
and Stewart Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center (UMGCCC) and TII interacts with Community
Outreach and Engagement (COE) as a bridge to identify the needs of communities in our catchment area.

Grant Number: 5P30CA134274-18
NIH Institute/Center: NIH
Principal Investigator: Xuefang Cao