James P. Allison, Chairman of the Immunology Program in the Sloan-Kettering Institute, was the recipient in June of the 2005 William B. Coley Award for Distinguished Research from the Cancer Research Institute (CRI). Dr. Allison is a leader in the field of immunology, particularly in developing ways to help the immune system recognize and destroy cancer cells. His research is focused on mechanisms that regulate the immunological responses of T lymphocytes, especially strategies to manipulate those responses in clinically relevant areas, including autoimmunity, allergies, vaccinations, and tumor therapy.
Dr. Allison was honored with the Coley Award for his contributions to the field of immunology and, in particular, for his work showing that an immune-regulating molecule called cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated antigen (CTLA-4) inhibits activated T cells in the immune system and prevents them from attacking the body's own tissues. In mouse models, he identified an antibody that blocks CTLA-4 and showed that it enhances the cancer-fighting activity of certain vaccines by maintaining the T cell response that the vaccines trigger. Dr. Allison and colleagues have now created antibodies to human CTLA-4 that are being studied in human clinical trials for the treatment of melanoma, renal cell carcinoma, prostate cancer, and ovarian cancer. He is a member of the National Academy of Sciences and an investigator in the Howard Hughes Medical Institute.
The award was presented at the CRI's 19th annual awards gala held at Gotham Hall in New York City.
