In honor of Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, we're putting the spotlight on research across the PICI network, including a new approach to engineering more powerful cancer-fighting cells. PICI Center Co-Director Owen N. Witte, MD, and researcher Christopher Garcia, PhD, developed a new way to engineer T cells to better recognize and attack prostate cancer while sparing healthy cells. Read more here: newsroom.ucla.edu/releases/s…

Tomorrow kicks off the Immunõ 2026 Global Virtual Congress on Immuno-Oncology, uniting leading voices in cancer immunology, immunotherapy, and translational research. Presented in partnership with @OncoDaily, the event will explore the discoveries and collaborations shaping the future of cancer immunotherapy. Speakers from @UCLA, @MassGenBrigham, @Harvard, @MDAndersom, @MSKCancerCenter & more will cover everything from CAR-T advances to global access to immunotherapy. The event is free & virtual - join us! Register here: oncodaily.com/immuno-2026-gl…

Meet Sophie Gray-Gaillard, a 2026 Parker Scholar and Immunology PhD candidate at @PennMedicine. Sophie studies how the spatial organization of the tumor microenvironment shapes the function of tumor-infiltrating CD8 T cells, with a focus on distinguishing tumor-specific T cells from nontumor-specific “bystander” T cells. Her research aims to identify the cellular interactions and molecular signals that shape these T cell populations, helping uncover why some patients respond to immunotherapy while others do not. By better understanding how these distinct T cell populations function within tumors, Sophie hopes to inform more precise, next-generation immunotherapies tailored to each population. Learn more here: parkerici.org/the-latest/pic…

Meet Maxime Meylan, PhD, a 2026 Parker Bridge Fellow and Instructor in Immunology at @DanaFarber Cancer Institute. Maxime studies how the organization of the tumor microenvironment shapes antitumor immune responses and determines whether T cells can effectively reach and eliminate cancer cells. His current research focuses on how tumor cell states and spatial tissue organization create barriers to T-cell infiltration in triple-negative breast cancer, to identify strategies to overcome immune exclusion. We’re proud to support Maxime and the next generation of cancer immunotherapy leaders pursuing bold ideas to transform cancer treatment. Learn more here: parkerici.org/the-latest/pic…

New research from PICI researchers at @PennMedicine, Daniel Powell and Roddy O’Connor, is shedding light on how the ovarian cancer tumor environment can interfere with the immune system's ability to fight cancer. Read more here: doi.org/10.1038/s42255-026-0…

What’s next for cancer immunotherapy? PICI President of Research @mellmani, explores this question in a new essay in Nature Reviews Immunology, “Beyond the quick win: rebuilding the foundations of cancer immunotherapy.” While checkpoint inhibitors, CAR T cells and bispecific T-cell engagers have transformed cancer treatment, Ira argues that continued progress will require a deeper understanding of human cancer immunity. Read the full essay: nature.com/articles/s41577-0…

Meet Shaobo Yang, PhD, a 2026 Parker Scholar at @DanaFarber, and a postdoctoral research fellow in the Romee Lab. Shaobo is developing programmable bacterial “living medicines” for solid tumors, combining synthetic biology, microbial engineering, and cancer immunology. His research will advance the Living Immune Modulating Engager (LIME) platform by using tumor-homing bacteria to connect cancer cells directly with T or natural killer cells within tumors to enhance responses to RAS-targeted therapy. Through PICI’s support, Shaobo is exploring a novel approach to harness bacteria as a tool for more targeted and effective cancer immunotherapy. Learn more here: parkerici.org/the-latest/pic…

PICI CEO @DrKarenKnudsen joined Jim Weiss on Get Real to discuss the landmark Phase 3 melanoma results from Moderna and Merck and what they could mean for the future of cancer immunotherapy. Watch the full conversation: piped.video/watch?v=XPQax6T_…

Excited to announce Maria Olson as PICI's new Chief Advancement Officer! In her role, she’ll drive the philanthropic strategy powering PICI’s mission to accelerate breakthrough cancer research. Read more: parkerici.org/the-latest/par…

Thank you to @SFBusinessTimes' @rleuty_biotech for reporting on a major milestone: @DispatchBio has dosed its first patient in a Phase 1 clinical trial of DISP-10, a novel approach to treating solid tumors. Born out of a 2021 Parker Institute retreat, Dispatch brings together advances in CAR-T, protein engineering, synthetic biology and tumor biology to “paint” tumor cells with a synthetic antigen, marking them for destruction by CAR-T cells. The company is a powerful example of how collaboration can accelerate bold ideas from the lab into clinical trials and new possibilities for patients with solid tumors. Read the coverage below: bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco…

Meet Xinyu Xiang, a 2026 Parker Scholar at @StanfordMed and one of PICI’s Early Career Researcher Awardees. Xinyu is developing a new platform to generate T cell receptor mimetics that recognize tumor-associated peptide-MHC complexes with high specificity. Her research combines protein engineering, synthetic co-evolution, and machine learning to systematically discover new binders and expand the range of cancer targets that targeted immunotherapies can recognize. We’re proud to support Xinyu and the next generation of cancer immunotherapy leaders pursuing bold ideas to transform cancer treatment. Learn more here: parkerici.org/the-latest/pic……er-immunotherapy/

Congratulations to PICI CEO @DrKarenKnudsen on being named a @FierceHealth #Fierce50 honoree — recognizing the leaders driving advancements in medicine and shaping the future of biopharma and healthcare. fiercepharma.com/collection/…

Earlier this month, PICI CEO @DrKarenKnudsen joined California lawmakers to discuss how AI can accelerate progress against cancer and help close long-standing gaps in cancer care. From drug discovery and expanding access to clinical trials, Karen highlighted how AI can help researchers and clinicians move faster and improve outcomes. Watch her full remarks: committees.assembly.ca.gov/b…

Meet Jingya Qiu, PhD, a 2026 Parker Scholar and Cancer Research Institute Immuno-Informatics Postdoctoral Fellow at @GladstoneInst. Jingya studies how immune responses within tissue microenvironments contribute to cancer initiation, using spatiotemporal imaging and digital pathology to understand these early interactions. Her research aims to translate these insights into immune-based strategies for detecting and treating premalignancies before they progress to invasive cancer. By studying cancer at its earliest stages, Jingya hopes to uncover new opportunities for earlier detection and intervention. We’re proud to support Jingya and the next generation of cancer immunotherapy leaders pursuing bold ideas to transform cancer treatment. Learn more here:

Thank you to The @washingtonpost for reporting on the promising clinical trial results for a personalized mRNA cancer vaccine for melanoma patients, featuring insights from PICI CEO @DrKarenKnudsen. The findings highlight the potential of personalized cancer vaccines to harness the immune system against the unique mutations in a patient’s tumor. As Karen noted, “This is representative of the next frontier of cancer immunotherapy,” while emphasizing the importance of longer-term follow-up. Read the article below: washingtonpost.com/health/20…

Today, PICI announced its 2026 class of Early Career Researchers awardees. The investigators will receive more than $1 million in combined funding to advance innovative research projects that could help shape the next generation of cancer immunotherapies. Meet the 2026 Early Career Researcher Awardees: 🔬 Sophie Louise Gray-Gaillard, @PennMedicine 🔬 Jingya Qiu, PhD, @GladstoneInst 🔬 Xinyu Xiang, @StanfordMed 🔬 Shaobo Yang, PhD, @DanaFarber 🔬 Maxime Meylan, PhD, @DanaFarber From programmable bacterial “living medicines” and tumor-targeting T-cell therapies to new approaches for understanding the tumor microenvironment and detecting cancer earlier, these researchers are pursuing high-risk, high-reward science with the potential to transform cancer treatment. Now in its 10th year, PICI’s Early Career Researcher Awards program has invested $23.9 million across 63 research projects, giving emerging scientists the funding, resources and collaborative network to turn bold ideas into breakthroughs. Learn more here: parkerici.org/the-latest/pic…

Join PICI CEO @DrKarenKnudsen on Sunday, November 15, at #HLTH2026 for “Will AI Cure Cancer?” Karen and @ay_zhou from @CancerResearch will explore how AI can accelerate scientific discovery, advance new approaches to treatment, and help improve outcomes for patients. Learn more: hlth.com/events/usa/agenda/2…

Earlier this month, @AlicePomponio, PICI’s Senior Vice President of Corporate Development and Strategic Partnerships, attended the 3rd Annual PICI @PennMedicine Retreat. Exciting to see the PICI community come together to exchange ideas and explore new possibilities for advancing cancer immunotherapy.

Congratulations to PICI researcher Catherine Wu, MD, of @DanaFarber, on receiving the 2026 Richard V. Smalley Memorial Award & Lectureship from @sitcancer (SITC) A leader in cancer immunotherapy research, Dr. Wu has pioneered genomics-based approaches to identify immunogenic antigen targets and better understand the molecular basis of therapeutic response and resistance. Her work has also advanced personalized tumor vaccines through early-phase clinical trials in melanoma and glioblastoma. We’re proud to celebrate Dr. Wu and this well-deserved recognition of her contributions to the field of cancer immunotherapy. The award will be formally presented at SITC’s 41st Annual Meeting in November. Congratulations, Dr. Wu! Read more here: sitcancer.org/about/awards?_…

Congratulations to @kickassscience1, on being named to @medicine_maker 2026 Power List for Advanced Medicines. A foundational figure in modern immunotherapy and cell-based medicine, Jeff has spent more than four decades advancing our understanding of T-cell activation, immune tolerance, and regulatory T cells. Today, his work is helping advance the potential of Treg therapies to transform treatment for patients living with debilitating autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. We’re proud to celebrate Jeff and his continued leadership in advancing the science and translating it into new possibilities for patients. Read more about The Medicine Maker’s 2026 Power List: themedicinemaker.com/power-l…