Learn more about how UPMC is advancing immunotherapy

UPMC and the University of Pittsburgh are collaborating on an innovative effort to transform the way the world thinks about immunotherapy. At the center of this partnership is the newly established UPMC Immune Transplant and Therapy Center, built on a bold new vision that leverages the distinct capabilities of both institutions. It combines unwavering support for world-class patient care with collaboration and innovation to drive discovery in the field of immune transplant and therapy.

According to Robert Ferris, MD, PhD, director of – UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, this shared effort is a unique move that puts UPMC and the University of Pittsburgh at the forefront of translational immune therapies. “The partnership has enabled us to put together a team with deep knowledge of immunology and provide it with a robust research infrastructure and clinical opportunities that other centers are less poised to offer,” says Dr. Ferris. “UPMC is investing significant funding from its commercial enterprises into this facility because of this strong relationship — one that doesn’t really exist anywhere else.”

The UPMC Immune Transplant and Therapy Center brings leaders in immunotherapy research to work alongside other medical minds specializing in organ transplantation, cancer, the biology of aging, and chronic diseases. Together, these medical innovators are brainstorming approaches that will potentially change the lives of patients around the world.

From bench to bedside, researchers and clinicians are focusing on the patient and asking how discoveries that are being made in the lab every day can contribute to longevity and quality of life for patients.

  • Organ transplantation: Driven by its pioneering efforts and expertise in transplant medicine, UPMC now is setting its sights on a new frontier: immune transplantation in conjunction with organ transplantation. This approach aims to induce immune tolerance after organ transplantation to reduce the need for immunosuppression, paving the way for an elevated standard of patient care.
  • Cancer: Experts at UPMC have long employed immunotherapeutic approaches to develop protocols that can extend the patient’s life while improving quality of life — an important consideration. By fine-tuning the immune system, clinicians can leverage the body’s own defenses to fight cancer cells.
  • Aging: As researchers explore the basic biology of aging, they are beginning to unlock the mysteries of how the aging process itself leads to disease and disability, using those insights to create better treatment and prevention strategies for age-related conditions like frailty, Alzheimer’s disease, and atherosclerosis.
  • Chronic disease: Researchers at the UPMC Immune Transplant and Therapy Center are dedicated to understanding chronic diseases and the role that immunotherapy and immune transplant will play in treating these conditions.

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UPMC and the University of Pittsburgh have a recognized foundation of success in immunotherapies, patient care, and research. The UPMC Immune Transplant and Therapy Center offers the opportunity to propel those successes forward and increase the speed of discovery, transforming these successes into practical applications that can impact the lives of countless individuals.

“We’ve used the structure of the Immune Transplant and Therapy Center to become one of the first centers to develop and implement novel treatments that blend cellular transplant with traditional immunotherapies,” explains Dr. Ferris. “We’re expanding on what we know to create something better.”

Experts at the UPMC Immune Transplant and Therapy Center believe that for transplant patients, those with cancer, and people who are living with chronic diseases, immunotherapy holds great promise in the achievement of this goal. By focusing on the development of approaches that boost the body’s natural defenses, researchers and clinicians can build models of care that fight disease at the most elemental levels while reducing many of the burdens associated with traditional health care.

“The UPMC Immune Transplant and Therapy Center represents an endeavor that is at the heart of UPMC’s mission — to develop and deliver life-changing medicine. By investing in extraordinary people and groundbreaking research today, we will define tomorrow’s health care, right here in Pittsburgh,” says Jeffry Romoff, president and chief executive officer of UPMC.

The UPMC Immune Transplant and Therapy Center is slated to occupy a century-old structure now undergoing a $200 million renovation, located in a former Ford Motor Company factory at 5000 Baum Boulevard in Pittsburgh.    When completed, the facility will house labs, offices, startup companies, and industry partners.

“The relationship between the University and UPMC is one of the most optimal and symbiotic partnerships I’ve ever seen,” adds Dr. Ferris. “UPMC is supporting this brick and mortar building, taking experts out of their day jobs, and giving them ownership in this research.”

About UPMC

Headquartered in Pittsburgh, UPMC is a world-renowned health care provider and insurer. We operate 40 hospitals and 800 doctors’ offices and outpatient centers, with locations throughout Pennsylvania, Maryland, New York, West Virginia, and internationally. We employ 4,900 physicians, and we are leaders in clinical care, groundbreaking research, and treatment breakthroughs. U.S. News & World Report consistently ranks UPMC Presbyterian Shadyside as one of the nation’s best hospitals in many specialties and ranks UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh on its Honor Roll of America’s Best Children’s Hospitals. We are dedicated to providing Life Changing Medicine to our communities.