The Cancer Moonshot Immuno-Oncology Translational Network at 5 - accelerating cancer immunotherapies

Sep 24, 2026

Uploaded by Elsa

The Immuno-Oncology Translational Network (IOTN) was established in 2018 as part of the Cancer Moonshot. It accelerates translation of cancer immunology research from bench to bedside and aims to improve immunotherapy outcomes across adult cancers. The article reports IOTN progress, new initiatives, and resources supporting discovery and evaluation of immune-based therapies and prevention. It also highlights translation barriers into clinical trials and proposes NIH funding mechanisms and resource development to address them.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages9

Reading Time23 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

IOTN mission and establishment

Progress, initiatives, and resources

Translation barriers and future actions

JNCI: Journal of the National Cancer Institute, 2023, 115(11), 1262–1270 [https://doi.org/10.1093/jnci/djad151](https://doi.org/10.1093/jnci/djad151) Advance Access Publication Date: August 12, 2023 Commentary Commentary The Cancer Moonshot Immuno-Oncology Translational Network at 5: accelerating cancer immunotherapies Ananth Annapragada, PhD,1,‡ Andrew G. Sikora, MD, PhD,2,‡ Himangi Marathe, PhD,3 Song Liu, PhD,3 Michael Demetriou , MD, PhD,4,5 Lawrence Fong , MD,6,7 Jinming Gao Zachary S. Morris, MD, PhD,12 Eduardo Vilar , MD, PhD,13,14 Elad Sharon Kunle Odunsi , MD, PhD15,16,* , PhD,8,9,10 Donald Kufe , MD,11 , MD, MPH,11 Alan Hutson , PhD,3 1Edward B. Singleton Department of Radiology, Texas Children’s Hospital and Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA 2Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Division of Surgery, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA 3Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY, USA 4Department of Neurology, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA 5Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA 6Department Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA 7Parker Institute of Cancer Immunotherapy, San Francisco, CA, USA 8Department of Pharmacology, Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA 9Department of Otolaryngology, Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA 10Department of Biomedical Engineering, Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA 11Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA 12Department of Human Oncology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA 13Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA 14Department of Clinical Cancer Prevention, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA 15University of Chicago Medicine Comprehensive Cancer Center, Chicago, IL, USA 16Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA *Correspondence to: Kunle Odunsi, MD, PhD, University of Chicago Medicine Comprehensive Cancer Center, 5841 South Maryland Ave, MC1140, Chicago, IL, USA 60637 (e-mail: [odunsia@bsd.uchicago.edu](odunsia@bsd.uchicago.edu)) . ‡Ananth Annapragada and Andrew G. Sikora contributed equally to this paper. Abstract The Immuno-Oncology Translational Network (IOTN) was established in 2018 as part of the Cancer Moonshot. In 2022, President Joe Biden set new goals to reduce the cancer death rate by half within 25 years and improve the lives of people with cancer and cancer survivors. The IOTN is focused on accelerating translation of cancer immunology research, from bench to bedside, and improving immunotherapy outcomes across a wide array of cancers in the adult population. The unique structure and team science approach of the IOTN is designed to accelerate discovery and evaluation of novel immune-based therapeutic and prevention strategies. In this article, we describe IOTN progress to date, including new initiatives and the development of a robust set of resources to advance cancer immunology research. We summarize new insights by IOTN researchers, some of which are ripe for translation for several types of cancers. Looking to the future, we identify barriers to the translation of immuno-oncology concepts into clinical trials and key areas for action and improvements that are suitable for high-yield investments. Based on these experiences, we recommend novel National Institutes of Health funding mechanisms and development of new resources to address

FAQs

What is the purpose of the Immuno-Oncology Translational Network (IOTN)?

The IOTN is focused on accelerating translation of cancer immunology research from bench to bedside and improving immunotherapy outcomes across a wide array of adult cancers.

What does the article describe regarding IOTN progress?

It summarizes IOTN progress to date, including new initiatives and development of resources to advance cancer immunology research, along with insights from IOTN researchers that may be ready for translation.

Which future actions does the article recommend?

It identifies barriers to translating immuno-oncology concepts into clinical trials and recommends new NIH funding mechanisms and development of resources to address these barriers.

Sep 24, 2026

Uploaded by Elsa