Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy
| Parent institution | Parker Foundation |
|---|---|
| Founder | Sean Parker |
| Established | April 13, 2016 |
| Mission | Accelerate the development of breakthrough immune therapies to turn all cancers into curable diseases. |
| Focus | Cancer immunotherapy |
| President | Karen E. Knudsen |
| Key people | Ira Mellman |
| Location | 1 Letterman Drive, Suite D3500 , , , United States |
| Website | www |
The Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy (PICI) is an American program focused on the acceleration of cancer immunotherapy located in San Francisco. The institute includes over 40 laboratories from several key cancer centers, Weill Cornell, Stanford Medicine, Gladstone Institute, UCLA, University of Pennsylvania, and the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.[1]
History
The institute was established in 2016 through the Parker Foundation by a $250 million grant from Sean Parker.[2] The institute was originally focused around three key areas of research, modification of T-cells, boosting the patient response to immunotherapy drugs, and research on novel targets. Jeffrey Bluestone was the inaugural president of the institute. [3]
Starting in 2016, the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy scientists funded a clinical trial to test the next wave of cancer-fighting T-cells engineered using the CRISPR gene-editing technology.[4] The trial was the first in the United States to test CRISPR-modified cells in humans.[5] The trial is led by the University of Pennsylvania and is also conducted at University of California, San Francisco and the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.[5]
In November 2017, Science published a study from Parker Institute researchers at MD Anderson Cancer Center showing that melanoma patients who have specific types of bacteria and greater microbial diversity in their gut microbiome responded better to an anti-PD-1 checkpoint inhibitor versus those with less diversity.[6] Based on this work, the Parker Institute is collaborating with MD Anderson and industry partner Seres Therapeutics to launch a microbiome-cancer immunotherapy clinical trial for advanced melanoma patients.[6]
Structure
PICI uses an organizational model to tie funding and science together. The PICI Network includes a number of cancer research centers. The PICI network involves:
- Stanford Medicine
- University of California, Los Angeles
- University of California, San Francisco
- University of Pennsylvania
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
- Gladstone Institutes
- Weill Cornell Medicine
See also
References
- ^ Tinker, Roni Selig,Ben (April 14, 2016). "Can Silicon Valley cure cancer?". CNN.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ Eunjung, Ariana (April 13, 2016). "$250 million, 300 scientists and 40 labs: Sean Parker's revolutionary project to 'solve' cancer". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on April 25, 2019. Retrieved May 4, 2017.
- ^ "Sean Parker sets up $250 million cancer immunotherapy collaboration".
- ^ LORENZETTI, LAURA. "Sean Parker Is Funding the First Human Trials of a Revolutionary Cancer Treatment". Fortune. Archived from the original on February 14, 2018. Retrieved February 14, 2018.
- ^ a b Regalado, Antonio. "Money Behind First CRISPR Test? It's from Internet Billionaire Sean Parker". MIT Technology Review.
- ^ a b Kaiser, Jocelyn. "Your gut bacteria could determine how you respond to cutting-edge cancer drugs". Science. Archived from the original on February 14, 2018. Retrieved February 14, 2018.