Robert Jenq, MD Research Fellow

One of the projects in the laboratory, under the guidance of Dr. Miguel-Angel Perales, involves collaborating with Dr. Alan Houghton's laboratory and studying the use of DNA vaccination in the setting of allogeneic bone marrow transplantation. Vaccinating against tumor antigens is potentially a safe and effective way of enhancing graft- versus-tumor effects without worsening the risk of developing graft-versus-host disease. We have found that in a melanoma model, DNA vaccination after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation is both safe and effective. In certain models, it is even more effective than vaccinating normal mice, presumably due to the added benefit of vaccinating in the lymphopenic setting. We are now developing vaccination strategies for pre-clinical models of leukemia and lymphoma, as well as combining DNA vaccination with strategies to boost immune reconstitution and anti-tumor immunity.