{"id":392,"date":"2023-12-10T10:10:47","date_gmt":"2023-12-10T10:10:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/annualreports.healthsciences.arizona.edu\/?post_type=story&p=392"},"modified":"2023-12-18T23:01:32","modified_gmt":"2023-12-18T23:01:32","slug":"cami-set-to-transform-immunotherapy-field-through-research","status":"publish","type":"story","link":"https:\/\/annualreports.healthsciences.arizona.edu\/2023\/story\/cami-set-to-transform-immunotherapy-field-through-research\/","title":{"rendered":"CAMI set to transform immunotherapy field"},"content":{"rendered":"

At the University of Arizona Health Sciences, the Center for Advanced Molecular and Immunological Therapies<\/a>, or CAMI, is being developed to advance knowledge of the immunology of cancers, infectious diseases and autoimmune conditions to develop novel strategies for the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of diseases.<\/p>\n

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Artist rendering for illustrative purposes only. Courtesy of McCarthy + SmithGroup.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Changing the way doctors treat disease<\/h3>\n

Immunotherapy is one of the most promising approaches to cancer treatment, as it has the potential to sidestep the effects of therapies that can compromise patients\u2019 long-term health and wellness. But cancer isn\u2019t the only target researchers, including bioengineer Michael Kuhns, PhD<\/strong>, have in their sights.<\/p>\n

\u201cBioengineers solve fundamental problems with technologies that can have many applications,\u201d said Kuhns, professor in the UArizona College of Medicine \u2013 Tucson and member of the BIO5 Institute. \u201cIf you can make something run more efficiently in certain circumstances \u2013 for example, make T cells in the immune system more effective at combating a particular disease \u2013 then the only limit to immunotherapy is your imagination.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you can make something run more efficiently in certain circumstances \u2013 for example, make T cells in the immune system more effective at combating a particular disease \u2013 then the only limit to immunotherapy is your imagination.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Kuhns\u2019 research focuses on engineering chimeric antigen receptors, or CARs, a relatively new type of gene therapy. He built a biomimetic five-module chimeric antigen receptor, or 5MCAR, to direct killer T cells to target and destroy autoimmune T cells. When tested in a non-obese diabetic mouse model, the 5MCAR T cells recognized and destroyed pathogenic T cells, effectively preventing Type 1 diabetes.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis technology has clear implications for autoimmune disease, but also for cancer,\u201d said Kuhns, who serves on the 21-member CAMI Advisory Committee. \u201cThis technology emerged from basic science, is taking hold in the laboratory and is showing promise to go to the clinic. This is a prime example of what we can do.\u201d<\/p>\n

CAMI will build on UArizona Health Sciences\u2019 expertise in basic science, translational medicine and investigator-initiated clinical trials to advance immunotherapies research in four areas: cancer, infectious diseases, autoimmune diseases and real-time immune system monitoring.<\/p>\n

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Artist rendering for illustrative purposes only. Courtesy of McCarthy + SmithGroup.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The scope of work CAMI will do has already drawn the support of state and Maricopa County leaders, as well as private donors:<\/h4>\n