# Immunobiology Research Program

> **NIH NIH P30** · UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA · 2020 · $77,523

## Abstract

Project Summary 
The Immunobiology Program aims to: 1) Understand the fundamental aspects of immune biology, including 
activation, differentiation, inactivation, and transformation as these relate to cancer; 2) Forge a comprehensive 
understanding of tumor immune surveillance using state-of-the art in vitro, animal model, and human 
experimental systems; and 3) Translate novel clinical strategies for immunotherapy of cancer by the design, 
implementation, and analysis of proof-of-concept human clinical trials. Established in 1974, this Research 
Program received “Outstanding” merit at the time of the last CCSG renewal application. The Program is Co- 
Led by Robert Vonderheide, MD, DPhil, an expert in tumor immunology and immunotherapy, and Warren 
Pear, MD, PhD, an expert in the molecular biology of leukocyte development and malignant transformation. 
Drs. Vonderheide and Pear are experienced, NCI-funded investigators who are highly collaborative and whose 
research interests span the realm of basic and translational science. There are 34 Program members from 10 
departments and four schools with long-standing intra- and inter-Programmatic collaborations spanning the 
Basic as well as Clinical Programs. Through these interactions, the members' collective expertise serves as a 
rich resource for the pursuit of interdisciplinary approaches to fundamental questions about the immunobiology 
and immunotherapy of cancer. Members include national leaders in basic immunology, tumor immunobiology 
and translational immunotherapy. The Program Co-Leaders facilitate interactions through multiple weekly 
seminars and meetings, promotion of collaborative grants and projects, an annual research retreat, Pilot 
Project grants, and training programs. During the current project period, Program Leaders recruited new 
members, expanded important forums, facilitated new collaborative grants, initiated new ACC-wide initiatives, 
and were actively involved in decisions regarding new and existing Shared Resources. Currently, Program 
members have $20.6M in research grant funding (annual direct costs), of which $11.3M is peer-reviewed and 
$2.2M is NCI-funded. During the current project period, Program members published 421 cancer-related 
publications, many of which are in top journals in the field. Of these, 17% are intra-Programmatic, 24% are 
inter-Programmatic, and 29% are multi-institutional.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9836826
- **Project number:** 5P30CA016520-44
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA
- **Principal Investigator:** E. John Wherry
- **Activity code:** P30 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $77,523
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** — → —

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9836826

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9836826, Immunobiology Research Program (5P30CA016520-44). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9836826. Licensed CC0.

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