Research

We offer cancer patients the opportunity to participate in clinical trials. This allows patients to actively participate in the progress of cancer treatments and benefit from additional quality control by the study team and the ethics committee. Clinical trials also allow access to the latest drugs.

Here you can find information about our research:

Clinical studies

Is participation in the study voluntary?

Yes, participation in any study is completely and exclusively voluntary. Only decide whether you want to take part once all your questions have been answered and you are sure. If you decide not to take part in a study, this will not affect your further treatment.

Does participating in a study mean that patients are exposed to unnecessary risks ("guinea pigs")?

No! Every study is reviewed by the Basel Ethics Committee(www.ekbb.ch) before it is conducted. The aim of this independent review is to ensure that no patient is exposed to unnecessary risks. Since every treatment (within and outside of studies) can be associated with risks/side effects, you will be informed in detail about possible risks. Weigh up for yourself whether the risk/benefit ratio is right for you personally before you decide to undergo treatment.

Will I incur additional costs by participating in the study?

No. The costs for the treatment that you would have received outside the study (standard therapy) will be charged to your health insurance as usual. Additional costs caused by participation in the study will not be charged.

Can I stop participating in the study?

Yes, you can discontinue your participation in the study at any time without giving a reason. Withdrawing from the study has no influence on your further treatment in oncology.

Can I also take part in a study if I am being treated in another hospital or practice?

First find out whether there is a suitable study for you by contacting the study team yourself or your doctor: PD Dr. Dr. Sacha Rothschild sacha.rothschild@usb.ch or Céline Jenni celine.jenni@usb.ch . There are studies that can only be carried out at the University Hospital. This would mean that you would have to transfer your treatment to the university hospital for the duration of your participation in the study. At the end of the study, you will continue to be cared for by your previous doctor.

Lab of Cancer Immunology

Immune modulation and cancer: implications for novel cancer therapies

Cancer Immunotherapy: Harnessing the potential of anti-tumor immunity

It is increasingly appreciated that cancers are recognized by the immune system, and under some circumstances, the immune system may control or even eliminate tumors.

Only recently, this concept has been reinvigorated by large clinical trials, demonstrating improved overall survival and, importantly, durable responses. This success has provided clear evidence that anti-tumor immunotherapy has broad efficacy across a diverse spectrum of malignancies owing to its potential for a large and sustained clinical benefit. Exciting perspectives to increase efficacy include combination therapies with targeted therapies and cytotoxic agents. Of particular note, both may modulate immune responses and augment host immunity. For example, selected agents increase the immunogenicity of dying cancer cells, inhibit the function of locally immuno-suppressive populations trigger DC maturation.

We investigate mechanisms of anti-tumor immunity in a variety of different mouse models including immunocompetent syngeneic and genetically modified tumor models engineered to carry mutations in genes known to be involved in human cancers. These models offer the platform to experimentally perturb the tumor microenvironment, using different anti-tumor agents and provide increased information on their immunostimulating effects, which are currently poorly defined. The aim of our research is to improve our understanding of the immuno-modulating capacities of anti-cancer therapies and pave the way for a rationale design of treatment algorithms combining anti-tumor agents with immunotherapy.

Development of anti-cancer strategies in early clinical trials

The focus lies on the investigation and development of treatment strategies, targets and delivery platforms in early trials in medical oncology.

In collaboration with the Clinical Research Center (CCRC) at our division, we have programs ongoing to create a pipeline of agents that can move into the clinic. In translational projects, we aim at defining predictors of therapeutic responses and at understanding the mechanism of treatment responses and resistance and thereby defining potential new targets for cancer immunotherapy. The programs include cancer vaccines, immune modulatory drugs, monoclonal antibodies, and nanoparticles such as immunoliposomes.

In collaboration with the Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine (Prof. Wild), a program is centred on radiopeptides against peptide receptors. To optimally develop novel anti-cancer agents such as immunotherapeutics we perform in-vitro assays to study how these compounds modulate human effector populations in freshly excised tumor tissue, thus faithfully mimicking the situation found in cancer patients. This program is performed in collaboration with the Department of Thoracic Surgery (Prof. Lardinois), Department of Gynecology (Prof. Heinzelmann) and Pathology (Prof. Bubendorf, Prof. Dirnhofer).

Research Group Leader

Prof. Alfred Zippelius

Co-Chefarzt

Medizinische Onkologie FMH, Mitglied Tumorzentrum, Leiter Labor Tumorimmunologie

Hauttumore, Thoraxtumore, Immuntherapie

Research

Immune modulation and cancer: implications for novel cancer therapies

Research Group Leader

Lab members

Recent Articles and Reviews 2023

Recent Articles and Reviews 2022

Recent Articles and Reviews 2021

Research Group Leader

Lab members

Team