Cancer epitope database
THE CANCER EPITOPE DATABASE AND ANALYSIS RESOURCE
This project builds a searchable database and tools that link tiny parts of cancer cells (epitopes) to immune responses and treatment results to help people with cancer get more personalized immunotherapy.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | La Jolla Institute for Immunology NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (La Jolla, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11087504 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This project creates a public database of cancer epitopes—small pieces of tumor proteins that the immune system can recognize—and pairs them with matching T cell and B cell receptors, experimental evidence, and clinical context. The team will gather data from patient tumor samples, published studies, and laboratory experiments and add prediction and analysis tools to help find likely therapeutic targets. The resource will include benchmarks so researchers can compare and understand different prediction methods. By sharing data and tools openly, the project aims to speed development of personalized vaccines and adoptive T cell therapies and better link immune recognition to patient outcomes.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Patients with cancer—especially those whose tumors have mutations (neoantigens) or who are considering immunotherapy or related clinical trials—are most directly relevant to this work.
Not a fit: People without cancer, or patients whose tumors lack recognizable epitopes or who are not eligible for immunotherapy, are unlikely to see direct benefit from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could speed development of personalized cancer vaccines and T-cell therapies by helping researchers find and prioritize tumor targets.
How similar studies have performed: Existing epitope databases and early neoantigen vaccine and adoptive T-cell trials have shown promise, but broader clinical benefit and more reliable prediction tools are still needed.
Where this research is happening
La Jolla, United States
- La Jolla Institute for Immunology — La Jolla, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Sette, Alessandro — La Jolla Institute for Immunology
- Study coordinator: Sette, Alessandro
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.