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SUMMARY:Infection Mimicking Polymers as Therapeutic Cancer Vaccines 
DTSTART:20131028T121500
DTSTAMP:20260427T215255Z
UID:9864c1084a286606eb3d5af9aa4046bfa4f3f1a5eeaa2f3b0b427a23
CATEGORIES:Conferences - Seminars
DESCRIPTION:Prof. David J. Mooney\, Harvard University\nBio: Dave Mooney i
 s studying the mechanisms that enable cells to receive and react to chemic
 al and mechanical signals\, such as cell adhesion molecules and cyclic str
 ains. These signals carry information that tells cells to alter their beha
 vior by changing their level of proliferation or area of specialization. S
 ometimes the message being sent is to promote tissue growth: sometimes it'
 s to attack diseased cells. Dave is working to understand the conditions u
 nder which these signals develop: how much of a particular mechanical or c
 hemical factor is needed\, at what location\, and at what time. The result
 s of these studies will help him design new materials and devices that mim
 ic the conditions needed to send specific orders to the body's cells. His 
 current projects focus on therapeutic angiogenesis\, regeneration of muscu
 loskeletal tissues\, and cancer therapies. In 2009\, Dave's team developed
  the first vaccine ever to eliminate melanoma tumors in mice. It is a tiny
  bioengineered disc filled with tumor-specific antigens that can be insert
 ed under the skin where it activates the immune system to destroy tumor ce
 lls. While typical tissue engineering involves growing cells outside the b
 ody\, his novel approach reprograms cells that are already in the body.\nD
 ave is the Robert P. Pinkas Family Professor of Bioengineering at the Harv
 ard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences. He plays an active role in
  the major biomedical and chemical engineering professional societies\, se
 rves as an editorial advisor to several journals and publishers\, organize
 s and chairs leading conferences and symposia\, and participates on severa
 l industry advisory boards.\nDISTINGUISHED LECTURE IN BIOLOGICAL ENGINEERI
 NG (organized jointly with ISREC)\nTherapeutic cancer vaccines typically d
 epend on extensive manipulation of cells in the laboratory\, but subsequen
 t cell infusion typically leads to large-scale cell death and limited effi
 cacy. This talk will instead present biomaterials that either provide a me
 ans to enhance the localization\, survival and effect of transplanted cell
 s\, or mimic aspects of microbial infection to target immune cells in the 
 body\, bypassing the need to manipulate cells in the laboratory. These mat
 erial strategies allow control over immune cell trafficking and activation
 \, promote potent responses to cancer antigens\, and cause tumor regressio
 n in preclinical models.
LOCATION:SV 1717A http://plan.epfl.ch/?reset_session&room=sv1717a
STATUS:CONFIRMED
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