Specific immunotherapy is a promising treatment option for a number of different tumor patients. Strategies include vaccination with tumor peptides and immunostimulatory adjuvants, the administration of monoclonal and bispecific antibodies, and the adoptive transfer of non-modified and chimeric antigen receptor-engineered or T cell receptor-engineered T lymphocytes.
Monitoring the frequency, phenotype and functional properties of different immune cell populations is essential for understanding clinical responses and side effects caused by the treatment. Moreover, immune monitoring makes it possible to identify novel treatment-related prognostic and predictive biomarkers.
The major task of the Immune Monitoring Unit is to analyze the phenotype and functional properties of different immune cell populations in the context of clinical trials. Moreover, such studies support the design of improved immunotherapeutic strategies for tumor patients.