Dr. Larry W. Kwak
Regular Member
The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center
Department of Lymphoma and Myeloma
Research Interests:
- Tumor immunology
- Cancer vaccines
- Adoptive T-cell therapy
- Lymphoma and myeloma
The research in my laboratory focuses on developing a lymphoma vaccine for clinical study. Our vaccine strategy aims to activate immune cells that can recognize and eventually eliminate tumor cells. Lymphoma uniquely expresses a tumor-specific antigen termed “idiotype.” By genetic modification, we linked this lymphoma antigen with chemokines and defensins, which are able to recruit immune cells. When given to animals, these vaccines profoundly induced tumor protection in lymphoma mouse models. We are working to understand how the vaccine provokes the immune system to kill tumor cells in addition to performing animal experiments to choose the best vaccine formulation for clinical trial with lymphoma patients.
A graduate student’s tutorial in my laboratory would involve research in genetic cancer vaccine design, antigen discovery, mouse and human development, tumor immunology, cellular immunology, and molecular immunology.
Selected Publications
Program Affiliation:
Program in Immunology
Contact Information
Phone: 713.745.4244
Email: lkwak@mdanderson.org
Office: MDA 1SCR2.3011 (Unit 429)
Title: Professor
Education:
M.D. - Northwestern University Medical School - 1982
Ph.D. - Northwestern University Graduate School - 1984
