The Tumor Immunology group investigates the interplay between the immune system and cancer with a main focus on two types of immune cells, namely tumor-specific T cells and macrophages. Enhancing the natural immune responses against tumors has an immense therapeutic potential. In fact, immunotherapy has now established itself as one of the pillars of cancer treatment. Our research vision is to increase the understanding of how the immune system naturally fights cancer in order to develop novel strategies for cancer immunotherapy. We perform both in vivo and in vitro experiments with experimental mouse models (for lung, colon and breast cancer), cell lines, and tumor tissue from patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). On the basis of our previous findings, we focus our research on the mechanisms whereby tumor-specific CD4 T cells and macrophages collaborate to recognize and eliminate malignant cells.

• Cancer immunotherapy based on the activation of tumor-associated macrophages
• Macrophage phenotypes and functions: defining the rules
• Using tumor-infiltrating immune cells to predict patient’s survival and response to therapy
• Cancer immunotherapy using viral vectors for cytokine gene delivery in tumors

Contact information:

Alexandre Corthay, PhD
Head of Tumor immunology group
Mail address: Department of Pathology, Oslo University Hospital Rikshospitalet, P.O. Box 4950 Nydalen, NO-0424 Oslo, Norway. 
Visitor address: Visitor address: Department of Pathology, Oslo University Hospital, Rikshospitalet A3 building, Sognsvannsveien 20, Oslo. Office: room A3.3018.