Can we teach our own immune cells to kill cancer?

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    LOUISVILLE, Ky. – One of the most promising areas of research in the fight against cancer is immunotherapy, or stimulating the body’s own immune system to destroy cancer. Jason Chesney, M.D., Ph.D., a professor in the University of Louisville Department of Medicine and the deputy director of the James Graham Brown Cancer Center, is conducting clinical trials using checkpoint inhibitors as well as modified herpes virus in the treatment of melanoma with impressive results.

    Chesney will speak at the next “Beer with a Scientist” event about immunotherapy research being conducted at UofL and elsewhere and treatments that may be available in the next few years.

    “We finally understand how to activate the human immune system to clear cancer cells, having developed new classes of immunotherapies that dramatically improve the survival of cancer patients,” Chesney said.

    The program begins at 8 p.m. on Wednesday, July 15 at Against the Grain Brewery, 401 E. Main St. A 30-minute presentation will be followed by an informal Q&A session.

    The Beer with a Scientist program began in 2014 and is the brainchild of UofL cancer researcher Levi Beverly, Ph.D. Once a month, the public is invited to enjoy exactly what the title promises: beer and science.

    Admission is free. Purchase of beer, other beverages or menu items is not required but is encouraged.

    Organizers add that they also encourage Beer with a Scientist patrons to drink responsibly.

    For more information and to suggest future Beer with a Scientist topics, follow Louisville Underground Science on Facebook.

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    Betty Coffman
    Betty Coffman is a Communications Coordinator focused on research and innovation at UofL. A UofL alumna and Louisville native, she served as a writer and editor for local and national publications and as an account services coordinator and copywriter for marketing and design firms prior to joining UofL’s Office of Communications and Marketing.