Christiano Marconi
Graduate Student, Biomedical Sciences Program-Cancer Biology Concentration
The immune system is equipped with an intrinsic ability to recognize and eliminate tumor cells. When imbalance and disorder arise in an ecosystem of uncontrolled growth, cancerous cells escape immune surveillance. Immunotherapy aims at reeducating and equipping the immune system to bring back order and destroy developing cancer. The relationship between the immune system and cancer changes over time and differs depending on the tumor type. Each immune phenotype benefits from different immunotherapeutic strategy. Some approaches under clinical investigation include immune checkpoint inhibitors, oncolytic viral therapy, adoptive cellular therapy, CAR T-cell therapy, and cancer vaccines. Each one tackles the imbalance from a different angle. Cancer vaccines, in particular, have made significant strides in the last decade. Patients desperately need innovative strategies to fight this complex ever-evolving disease. One novel therapeutic vaccine strategy is to package tumor specific mRNA into a positively charged, multilayer lipid-particle vaccine. In essence, the vaccine triggers an anti-viral type of response by making the tumor look like an invading pathogen. This type of immunotherapy can manipulate a robust immune response against tumor cells residing under immune ignorance or immune tolerance.
Christiano Marconi is a graduate student in the Cancer Biology Concentration in the UF College of Medicine Graduate Program in Biomedical Sciences.
Core Standards
SC.912.L.14.52
Explain the basic functions of the human immune system, including specific and nonspecific immune response, vaccines, and antibiotics.
SC.912.L.14.6
Explain the significance of genetic factors, environmental factors, and pathogenic agents to health from the perspectives of both individual and public health.
SC.912.L.16.8
Explain the relationship between mutation, cell cycle, and uncontrolled cell growth potentially resulting in cancer.
SC.912.L.16.10
Evaluate the impact of biotechnology on the individual, society and the environment, including medical and ethical issues.
SC.912.N.1.7
Recognize the role of creativity in constructing scientific questions, methods and explanations.
