The Division of Translational Vaccine Research (TVR) is engaged in a variety of research projects that have as their common goal the development of a better understanding of the qualities of a protective immune response to cancers of the hematopoietic system, adenocarcinoma, melanoma, and to infectious agents of importance to transplant recipients. 

The majority of the work conducted by the TVR staff involves development of vaccines for tumor types and infectious diseases that afflict patients at City of Hope which have applicability to individuals with these conditions world wide. The original basis for the laboratory was development of vaccines that target the herpes virus called cytomegalovirus (CMV). CMV is a complication of hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT). Two approaches are being pursued; both are funded by the NIH and are reflected as Projects 1 – 5. A more in depth discussion of these topics can be found below under each project heading.

Peptide technologies are also being used in the development of a vaccine concept for HIV that is described in Project 7. Collaboration with Dr. Joshua Ellenhorn of the Department of General and Oncologic Surgery is supported by Project 8. This work involves development and clinical testing of a cancer vaccine that targets the oncogenic form of the p53 protein. More detail can be found below in the individual Project descriptions.

We have other collaborations throughout the world, including active studies with the University of Teubingen, University of California at Davis, University of Alabama at Birmingham, MD Anderson Cancer Center, the Wistar Institute, and the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California.

Project 1 – Peptide vaccine to prevent CMV disease after HSCT – Support for Phase 1 and 2 trials.

Project 2 – Supplement to Project 1 investigating cutting edge flow cytometry approaches to evaluate clinical results.

Project 3 – Molecular Diagnosis of Defective Memory Differentiation in Tumor-Specific T Cells

Project 4 – Clinical Evaluation of a Multiantigen Recombinant MVA with activity against CMV.

Project 5 – A Modified Vaccinia Virus Ankara Vaccine Targeting CMV for Hematologic Malignancy

Project 6 – Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation for Hematologic Malignancies

Project 7 – Mamu A*01 Mice to Assess Efficacy of SIV Targeted and TLR Augmented Vaccine

Project 8 – Clinical Evaluation of a Poxvirus Vaccine Targeting p53.

Project 9 – Rhesus CMV Infection of Immunosuppressed CMV-naïve Rhesus Macaques