Overview

Leadership: The Duke Brain Tumor Immunotherapy Program (Duke BTIP) comprises a world-class, pioneering effort in the immunotherapeutic treatment of malignant brain tumors. This program is guided by the leadership of Dr. John H. Sampson, MD, PhD, MHSc, Robert H. Wilkins and Gloria Wilkins Professor of Neurosurgery, Associate Deputy Director of the Preston Robert Tisch Brain Tumor Center at Duke, and Director of the Duke BTIP and Dr. Duane A. Mitchell, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor of Neurosurgery, Director of Preclinical Research at the Preston Robert Tisch Brain Tumor Center at Duke, and Associate Director of the Duke BTIP. While maintaining independent research interests and laboratory pursuits, Drs. Sampson and Mitchell have also developed an integrated translational research program that culminated in the formal establishment of the Duke BTIP by the Department of Surgery and Division of Neurosurgery in late 2008. The Duke BTIP combines the necessary funding support, intellectual and physical resources, and visionary leadership to meet its devoted objective of “pioneering translational immunotherapy” for the treatment of patients with malignant brain tumors.

Program Projects: The essence of the Duke BTIP is the Program Projects that encompass our efforts to develop safe and effective immunologic treatments for patients with invasive brain tumors. These projects are spearheaded by an outstanding complement of graduate and MD/PhD students, medical residents, postdoctoral fellows, and junior and senior scientists assembled under the umbrella of the Duke BTIP. We have and continue to attract scientists and trainees of the highest caliber from all over the world to work within the vibrant atmosphere of the Duke BTIP. Dr. Laura Johnson, a clinical research scientist with considerable expertise in adoptive immunotherapy, was recently recruited from the NIH to lead our programmatic effort in the development of T cell based therapies for pediatric and adult brain tumors. Our program offers the unique opportunity for junior scientists to develop an independent career while simultaneously leveraging the combined resources, intellectual input, and clinical trials infrastructure housed by the Duke BTIP, Department of Surgery, and the Preston Robert Tisch Brain Tumor Center at Duke.

Clinical Operations Core: The Duke BTIP is equipped with the necessary facilities and resources to conduct the regulatory compliant management of phase I and II clinical trials using clinical-grade cellular products manufactured within our FDA-approved cell processing facility. These clinical operations are overseen by Dr. Gary Archer, Ph.D., an immunologist with extensive clinical research experience. All regulatory affairs management, human cellular production, immunologic monitoring, clinical protocol development, and IND application submissions, are coordinated through the Clinical Operations Core under Dr. Archer’s direction.

Animal Colony Core: The Duke BTIP conducts numerous preclinical studies in animal models of malignant disease in order to evaluate the safety and potential toxicity of novel immunotherapeutic treatments. In addition, we are engaged in active research to understand and counteract mechanisms of immunosuppression utilized by malignant brain tumors that limit the effectiveness of current immunologic treatments. A team of veterinary technicians and research associates with extensive small animal model experience coordinate these studies and maintain several colonies of mice for evaluation of syngeneic, transgenic, and xenograft models of malignant brain tumors.

Administrative Core: The Duke BTIP and the Preston Robert Tisch Brain Tumor Center at Duke houses the considerable administrative support needed for the regulatory compliant management of an active translational neuro-oncology program, including secretarial assistance, scientific writing, financial projections and expense accounting, and extramural grant management.

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