The Immunotherapy Department develops and mechanistically evaluates innovative cancer immunotherapies to advance anti-tumor immunity. Our research focusses on therapeutic cancer vaccines targeting tumor-associated antigens and personalized neoantigens, as well as rational combination strategies with standard-of-care and novel approaches such as RNA-encoded immunomodulators. Using clinically relevant preclinical tumor models and comprehensive high-dimensional immune profiling, including deep flow cytometry we investigate the tumor immune microenvironment and tumor-specific T cell responses, define mechanisms of therapeutic response and resistance including metabolic constraints and tumor heterogeneity, and identify strategies to enhance durable anti-tumor immunity.
Immunotherapy
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Dr. Fulvia Vascotto
Co-Director Immunotherapy
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Dr. Ayline Kübler
Co-Director Immunotherapy
Our vision
Our vision is to develop more effective and durable cancer immunotherapies by understanding and harnessing anti-tumor immunity. Through mechanistic research and innovative therapeutic strategies, we aim to translate fundamental discoveries into transformative treatments for patients with cancer.
Activities and competences of our department
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Next-generation immunotherapies
Development and preclinical evaluation of innovative cancer immunotherapies, including RNA-based therapeutics, cancer vaccines, and rational combination strategies.
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Mechanistic immunotherapy
Identification of mechanisms governing therapeutic efficacy, resistance, and immune escape through integrated preclinical studies and cross-functional analyses.
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Tumor immune microenvironment
Characterization of tumor–immune interactions and mechanisms of response using high-dimensional immune profiling and multiomic approaches.
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Preclinical cancer models
Evaluation of immunotherapeutic strategies in clinically relevant mouse models integrating tumor growth, immune responses, and tissue-specific immune niches.
Technology platforms of our department
High-dimensional immune profiling
Conventional and spectral flow cytometry, computational analysis, and immune phenotyping of mouse and human samples.
Functional immune assays
ELISpot, FluoroSpot, intracellular cytokine staining, tetramer staining, cytokine profiling, and real-time cytotoxicity assays (Incucyte, Xcelligence).
Preclinical cancer models
Syngeneic, orthotopic, genetically engineered, knockout, transgenic, and heterogeneous tumor models.
Tumor Biology & Vaccines
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Dr. Fulvia Vascotto
Head of Functional Unit Tumor Biology & Vaccines
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Dr. Nadja Salomon
Deputy Head of Functional Unit Tumor Biology & Vaccines
Our activities and competences
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Cancer vaccines
Therapeutic mRNA/RNA-LPX vaccines targeting tumor-associated antigens (TAAs), tumor-specific antigens (TSAs), and personalized neoantigens.
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Antigen-specific immunity
Immune monitoring and functional characterization of vaccine-induced T cell responses.
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Cancer immunometabolism
Understanding how metabolic programs regulate anti-tumor immunity and therapeutic responses.
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Immune engineering
Metabolic engineering of immune and tumor cells to develop next-generation immunotherapies, murine TCR-based immunotherapy.
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Our methods and platforms
Metabolic phenotyping
Seahorse extracellular flux analysis to quantify glycolytic and mitochondrial metabolism in immune and tumor cells, C-lion.
Intravital multiphoton microscopy
Real-time visualization of immune cell dynamics and tumor–immune interactions in vivo.
High-purity cell sorting (FACS)
Isolation of immune cell subsets for downstream functional, molecular, and metabolic analyses.
Immunomodulation
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Dr. Ayline Kübler
Head of Functional Immunomodulation
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Dr. Abdelraouf Selmi
Deputy Head of Functional Immunomodulation
Activities and competences
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Small cell lung cancer (SCLC)
Subtype-specific models to investigate therapeutic resistance and immune escape.
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Innate immunity & immune escape
Mechanistic studies of innate–adaptive immune crosstalk and resistance to immunotherapy, applying RNA-encoded immunomodulators to engage innate and adaptive immunity
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Human immune validation
Translation of findings using human T cell and NK cell models, in collaboration with other units such as the Multiomics Unit.
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Therapeutic antibodies
Evaluation of antibodies, ADCs, and rational combination therapies with standard-of-care treatments.
Our methods and platforms
Advanced (spectral) flow cytometry
High-dimensional (>20-parameter) spectral flow cytometry with unsupervised data analysis.
Immune niche analysis and model systems
Characterization of tissue-specific immune microenvironments, particularly in lung cancer and liver metastasis models, female reproductive tract
Human immune model systems
In vitro and in vivo validation platforms for human T cell and NK cell biology.
