On Monday, October 27, the Beirne B. Carter Center for Immunology Research (CIC) hosted the third annual Thomas Braciale Lecture. This year’s speaker, Christopher Klebanoff, MD, presented a talk titled “Immunogenicity and Therapeutic Targeting of Recurrently Mutated ‘Public’ Neoantigens”, wherein he discussed his latest research in identifying new targets for anticancer drugs. The CIC holds the Braciale Lecture in memory of the late Thomas Braciale, MD, PhD, the Center’s first Director and deeply respected member of the immunology research community. The CIC was glad to welcome Yael Shayne, Dr. Braciale’s sister, to the event.
Dr. Klebanoff was hosted by Kristin Anderson, PhD. In his lecture, he described how T cell receptors allow the immune system to target proteins within the cell, rather than only those on its surface. This presents new opportunities for immune therapies against cancer, but the T cell receptors have complex structures. Dr. Klebanoff’s research described both the variations between receptors and his team’s efforts to advance their potential as immunotherapy targets. A reception followed the talk in the Braciale Courtyard of MR6.