IMMUNOTHERAPY: A RICH HISTORY OF DISCOVERY & INNOVATION
1984
Dr. Tak Mak clones the T-cell receptor.
1994
Dr. Tak Mak demonstrates that CTLA4 (protein receptor) is a key regulatory checkpoint in the immune system.
2002
Dr. Pamela Ohashi (above) and Dr. Linh Nguyen demonstrate that tumour-specific T-cells exist and are capable of mounting a response against tumours.
2005
Dr. Pamela Ohashi, Dr. Linh Nguyen (above) and Patty Yen travel to Dr. Steven Rosenberg’s lab in the U.S. to learn techniques to grow tumour-specific T-cells.
2008
Dr. Pamela Ohashi, Dr. Brad Nelson, Dr. Réjean Lapointe and Dr. Jonathan Bramson found the Canadian Cancer Immunotherapy Consortium.
2009
Immune Therapy Program launches at Princess Margaret Cancer Centre.
2013
First adoptive T-cell therapy clinical trial opens in Canada at The Princess Margaret.
2015
Clinical leadership expandes with Dr. Lillian Siu joining the immunotherapy program.
2016
Over 180 active immunotherapy clinical trials are underway at The Princess Margaret, including Canada’s first gene-engineered T-cell trial.
2017
Drs. Naoto Hirano and Marcus Butler treat the first patient with cells engineered to attack tumours, a first in Canada.