The interview with Jill O’Donnell-Tormey, PhD, delves into the vital topic of cancer immunotherapy and research, emphasizing the transformative potential of harnessing the human immune system to combat various forms of cancer. Throughout the conversation, O’Donnell-Tormey provides valuable insights and perspectives on key areas of focus within the field. Here are some direct quotes from her on these topics:
On the mission of the Cancer Research Institute (CRI):
“We are a non-profit organization that’s been around for 70 years with the singular view that your immune system could be harnessed as a way to treat, control, and potentially cure all cancers.”
On the impact of philanthropic donations:
“We rely on totally philanthropic donations to support our activities. We fund about 40 million a year in research that goes from the laboratory through translational through clinical trials.”
On the significance of recent immunotherapy approvals by the U.S. FDA:
“Probably the most notable is that since the first time since 2014, a new checkpoint blockade. Antibody has been approved… I think this gives great hope that this is first seeing in melanoma, but we’ll probably see this combination be approved in the years coming up in a variety of other cancers.”
On the promising results of personalized neoantigen vaccines:
“So over the last year, we’ve seen two cases, one in basically advanced melanoma and in pancreatic cancer where these new personalized neoantigen vaccines… have been shown to have very promising results.”
These quotes encapsulate the essence of the interview, which explores groundbreaking developments in cancer immunotherapy, the role of the Cancer Research Institute in advancing the field, and the potential of innovative technologies to shape the future of cancer care.