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Cytokines, Cytokine Signaling and Cancer

Program Leaders: Edmund C. Lattime, Ph.D. and Sidney Pestka, M.D.

Overall Goals: To increase understanding of cytokines, signal transduction systems, the effects of cytokines on the host and how these may be manipulated for the treatment and prevention of cancer. 

Specific Goals:

  • To understand the mechanism of action of cytokines and the nature of their receptors and signal transduction pathways.
  • To understand the role of cytokines in the initiation and propagation of malignancy.
  • To design and test immune and gene-based strategies for treating malignancy.

    • The unifying theme and rationale for the Cytokines Program is the understanding of how intracellular signals influence intracellular events, how these are altered in cancer and how they can be harnessed to design more effective therapies. Cytokines and cytokine signal transduction pathways are intimately related areas of cancer biology involved in growth, differentiation, maturation and activation of many cells including those that mediate inflammation and immunity. Cytokines provide tools for the development of cancer therapies, including gene and immunology. Therefore, the fulfillment of these goals should provide a clearer understanding of the roles of cytokines in the genesis of cancer and how to best interfere with or harness these powerful molecules for cancer prevention and treatment.