In this episode of the Cancer Matters Podcast, Dr. Bill Nelson interviews Dr. Elizabeth Jaffee about cancer immunology and immunotherapy. They discuss how the immune system recognizes and combats cancer cells, drawing parallels to how it fights viral infections. Dr. Jaffee explains how cancers evade the immune system and the advancements in genetic technologies that allow for patient-specific immunotherapies, including vaccines tailored to target abnormal proteins in a patient's tumor. The conversation highlights the importance of federal investment in basic science to understand resistance mechanisms and develop better drugs, emphasizing the need for a collaborative ecosystem involving government, universities, and the biopharmaceutical industry to improve cancer treatment and prevention.
