The mission of the Immuno-Oncology Transformational Team (IOTT) is to develop and implement innovative treatments that harness the body’s immune system to combat cancer, explore mechanisms of tumor evasion, and develop strategies to enhance anti-tumor immunity.
The IOTT was established in 2024 with support from Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Comprehensive Cancer Center (AHWFBCCC). The IOTT serves as a collaborative hub for investigators to network, exchange ideas, and drive innovation.
The Immuno-Oncology Transformational Team aims to
- Foster multidisciplinary partnerships to drive innovation in cancer immunotherapy research.
- Support translational research to accelerate bench-to-bedside translation of new treatment strategies or actionable biomarkers
- Support mentorship and training of the next generation of immuno-oncology scientists
Research Highlights
- Dr. J. Mark Cline, Professor in the Department of Pathology – Comparative Medicine, studies spontaneous, naturally occurring cancers in non-human primates as a translational model for solid tumor immunotherapy. More information. View publication.
- Dr. Karen Haas, Professor in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology, explores how innate-like B cells, including B-1b cells, regulate antibody responses to carbohydrate antigens, for the development of solid and hematological tumor vaccines. View publication.
- Dr. Fei Xing, Associate Professor in the Department of Cancer Biology, evaluates the actionability of neurotrophic receptor tyrosine kinase 1 (NRTK1) inhibition to enhance non-small cell lung cancer response to immune checkpoint inhibition. View publication.
- Dr. Konstantinos Votanopoulos, Professor in the Department of Surgical Sciences, develops immune competent patient-derived tumor organoid models for the testing of novel immune engager ex vivo. More information. View publication.
