Two new publications from MCB Professor David Raulet and collaborators focus on the role of natural killer cells in anti-tumor responses. Natural killer cells are a type of white blood cell that have an important role in defending against virally infected cells and tumors.

The first, published in Journal of Clinical Investigation, demonstrated that checkpoint inhibitors, a well-established cancer immunotherapy, have the ability to activate natural killer cells. In the future, researchers hope to better understand the factors that influence natural killer cell activation for use in improved immunotherapies. Read more...

The second paper, published in Immunity, is a collaboration with the lab of MCB Professor Russell Vance. It shows that cGAMP from tumors promotes natural killer anti-tumor immune responses. Read more...

Image credit: Marcus et al., Immunity (2018).