The University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center has awarded a “More for Stage IV Mary Gooze Clinical Trial and Translation Award” to the collaborative team of Dr. Jenny Gumperz from the Department of Medical Microbiology & Immunology and Dr. Hongtao Liu from the Division of Hematology. This prestigious grant will fund a pilot clinical trial testing an innovative iNKT cell-based cellular immunotherapy developed by MiNK Therapeutics. The trial will focus on patients who have undergone hematopoietic stem cell transplantation as treatment for leukemias and other blood cancers.
In addition to supporting the clinical trial, the award will advance fundamental research into the mechanisms by which invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cells combat leukemia, a core focus of the Gumperz Lab.
The UW Carbone Cancer Center’s mission centers on accelerating cancer research and treatment across six integrated scientific programs, spanning basic science, clinical trials, population health, and advanced training. With strong partnerships throughout the state, the Center is committed to ensuring patients across the region benefit from the latest scientific advances.
Written by Allison Bauer, Communications Manager for the Department of Medical Microbiology & Immunology.