A limitation to immunotherapy approaches is that the immune response can vary widely depending on the cancer type. This leads to variation in the proportion of patients who respond positively to immunotherapy. Furthermore, intrinsic or acquired genetic mutations can determine the sensitivity or resistance of tumours to immunotherapy approaches such as checkpoint blockade and adoptive cell therapy.
Associate Professor Oliaro will provide us with CRISPR-based genetic screening approaches to uncover mechanisms of tumour immune evasion.
The results of her lab's work highlight a role for tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-mediated bystander killing as a potent immune cell effector mechanism. The data generated also identifies new genes and pathways that may predict response to checkpoint blockade, or be therapeutically targeted to improve the number of patients that benefit from immunotherapy.
Associate Professor Jane Oliaro is a Group Leader in the Cancer Immunology Program and Chief Scientist for the Centre of Excellence in Cellular Immunotherapy Translation Laboratory at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre.
Jane completed a BSc (Hons) at Monash University in Melbourne, a PhD at Massey University in New Zealand, followed by postdoctoral training in France (INSERM, Montpellier) and Australia (Peter MacCallum).
Jane’s research program uses a range of immune-based assays, genetic screening and preclinical models to dissect the complex interplay between the immune system and cancer, with a particular focus on tumor immune evasion and resistance to immunotherapies such as checkpoint blockade and CAR-T cell therapy.
