In Early-Phase Pancreatic Cancer Clinical Trial, Investigational mRNA Vaccine Induces Sustained Immune Activity in Small Patient Group
MSK Precision Immuno-Oncology
Leadership in the New Frontier for Fighting Cancer
For more than a century, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK) has been at the forefront of discovering smarter, more precise ways to treat cancer. Today, our scientists and doctors are transforming cancer care through precision immuno-oncology — tailoring immunotherapy treatments to the unique biology of each patient's cancer.
At MSK, breakthroughs move quickly from the laboratory to patients. Our researchers are pioneering new immunotherapies, cellular therapies, cancer vaccines, and AI-driven tools that harness the body's immune system to target cancer with unprecedented precision.
From the first discoveries in cancer immunology to today’s cutting-edge clinical trials, MSK continues to set the standard — developing treatments that not only extend lives but improve quality of life. The result is a future where cancer care is increasingly personalized, powerful, and precise.
If the first era of immunotherapy was about proving that the immune system can be a powerful weapon against cancer, this new era aims to make that armament more precise and durable, and available to far more people.
These are the goals of MSK's Immuno-Oncology Program, led by Andy Minn, MD, PhD, which focuses the efforts of researchers across MSK to solve this challenge. Likewise, the Olayan Center for Cancer Vaccines at MSK, co-led by Vinod Balachandran, MD, and Benjamin Greenbaum, PhD, is accelerating precision vaccines as the next breakthrough cancer therapy.
Explore how MSK is redefining what’s possible in cancer treatment.
Cancer Vaccines: Training the Immune System To Stop Cancer
MSK is leading the way to develop therapeutic vaccines that teach the immune system to recognize and attack cancer cells.
Unleashing the Immune System: Checkpoint Inhibitors
This type of immunotherapy inhibits the “stop signals” on immune cells, allowing them to recognize and attack cancer cells they would otherwise ignore. A precision approach — like those pioneered by MSK scientists — helps this treatment work better by matching it to the right patients.
FDA Approves Adding Durvalumab Immunotherapy To Prevent Stomach and Esophageal Cancer Recurrence
The Latest on Prostate Cancer Checkpoint Inhibitor Immunotherapy at MSK
Immunotherapy After Surgery Helps Prevent Cancer Recurrence in MMRd Patients With ctDNA, MSK Study Shows
Video | 2:47
Watch How CAR T Cell Therapy Eliminated a Patient’s Rare Blood Disease
Every cancer breakthrough begins years before it offers patients new hope. Our series Saved by Science takes you inside MSK's world-class research labs, where you'll see patients meet the scientists whose discoveries not only changed their lives but are transforming cancer care for patients around the world.
I reached a point where it was getting increasingly more and more difficult to enjoy the things that I normally enjoy.
Maureen had two stem cell transplants that put her into remission for only a short period of time.
I was very excited to tell her that indeed, there was one more option.
CAR T cells are when we take out patients’ T cells from their own body, and then they are trained in a lab to really knock out patients’ cancers.
I was like, OK, if Dr. Landau says this is the thing to do, I'm doing it.
I had no concept whatsoever that such a fast response was even possible.
Took your trip?
I was doing all the hiking that I never thought I would do there.
It will bring me great joy to show you the lab where CAR T cells started at MSK.
I’ve been lucky enough to inherit this space and there’s a lot of history here. Kind of where it all began. It’s very exciting, so let me show you around.
This laboratory is where it all began. It’s where a lot of the earliest experiments in CAR T cells took place. This room.
Each of these little dots represents a CAR T cell. And you had excellent CAR T cells.
Well, yeah.
We see people like Maureen who had really excellent results.
And so we're trying to take the same thing that Maureen was able to benefit from and bring it to everybody.
This is hundreds of millions of T cells floating around in there.
And we can take a look, we can look through the microscope and we can actually see them.
So those little bubble-like things...
Those little bubble-like things. Those are CAR T cells. Those have been changed, they’ve been modified so that they’re cancer fighters.
Really, it's those cells that come into this bag and into you and really made you so well today.
And all the work that goes on behind that. All the people like you guys that make it happen. It's incredible.
It was amazing being here in the lab and to see what’s actually going on behind the scenes.
We need the research. That's the roots of where I am today.
Personalizing Treatment With Precision Science
MSK is developing tools that help predict which therapies will work best for patients, based on understanding their cancer at the molecular level.
In the News
Personalized mRNA vaccines will revolutionize cancer treatment
Scientific American (Nov. 2025)
Vaccine targeting pancreatic cancer shows promise in new study of clinical trial
CBS News (Feb. 2025)
For some cancer patients, immunotherapy may be way to skip surgery and chemo
NBC News (April 2025)