Magnus Hoffmann, MPharm, Ph.D.

Research

My lab is developing a cancer vaccine approach that tricks tumor cells into stimulating the immune system to eliminate them. Therapeutic cancer vaccines are a promising form of immunotherapy that trains the immune system to attack tumors. However, the unique makeup of individual tumors necessitates the development of personalized vaccines—a time-consuming and costly process. Building on prior work in cellular engineering and immune modulation, we aim to develop an innovative immunotherapy platform that enhances the natural ability of the immune system to detect and respond to tumor-specific features. This scalable approach is designed to promote more effective interactions between tumors and the immune system, enabling the generation of targeted anti-tumor responses without the need for individualized vaccine design. We will then assess whether this approach can shrink tumors in mouse models of cancer—work that could produce a “next generation” immunotherapeutic for treating all types of human cancer.