We are glad to announce that Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda Educational and Research Institute (RKMVERI) will be conducting a special colloquium on “Rewriting Cancer’s Fate: The Power of Immunotherapy” on 20 September 2024, 12 Noon at Seminar Hall, Narendrapur Campus.

Speaker : Dr. Shilpak Chatterjee, CSIR-IICB, Kolkata
Co-ordinator: Prof. Abhijit Chakrabarti

Abstract

Immunotherapy represents a transformative approach in the battle against cancer, harnessing the body’s immune system to identify and destroy malignant cells. Unlike traditional therapies such as chemotherapy and radiation, which often cause significant collateral damage to healthy tissues, immunotherapy offers a more targeted and durable response. By activating immune cells, particularly T cells, this treatment modality enhances the body’s natural ability to detect and eliminate cancer cells that may otherwise evade immune surveillance. Despite notable clinical successes, the therapeutic efficacy remains limited to a small fraction of patients. This highlights the need for a deeper understanding of the composition of intratumoral T cells and the intrinsic pathways contributing to non-responsiveness to immunotherapy. Ongoing research in our lab has identified a crucial mechanism by which T cells become resistant to immunotherapy, leading to tumor progression. We have successfully demonstrated that targeting this resistance-inducing pathway can restore T cell responsiveness, eliciting a durable anti-tumor response. As we continue to explore the full potential of the immune system, immunotherapy stands poised to redefine cancer treatment and offer new hope to patients worldwide.