Dr. André Veillette Authors a Landmark Review in Nature Reviews Cancer
Immunotherapy has revolutionized cancer treatment by harnessing the body’s immune system to fight tumor cells. While this approach has delivered spectacular success for certain cancers such as melanoma, it remains limited and carries risks for many patients. How can we make this strategy more effective and safer?
In a recently published review in Nature Reviews Cancer, Dr. André Veillette, researcher at the Montreal Clinical Research Institute (IRCM) and a leading figure in immunology, explores new avenues to improve the efficacy and safety of immunotherapy. His team focuses on macrophages, immune cells capable of engulfing and destroying cancer cells through a process called phagocytosis.
The teamexplains how tumors evade this natural defense by sending “Don’t eat me” signals to macrophages. Blocking these signals could pave the way for innovative treatments. However, challenges remain: toxic side effects and variable effectiveness across cancer types.
“Understanding the fundamental mechanisms and developing more targeted drugs is essential to make immunotherapy an even more powerful weapon against cancer,” says Dr. Veillette.
This insightful review proposes solutions to overcome these obstacles and transform research into safer, more effective therapies.
About Dr. André Veillette
Dr. André Veillette is an internationally recognized immunologist and Director of the Molecular Immunology Research Unit at the IRCM. His work focuses on the fundamental mechanisms that regulate the immune system, particularly the role of T cells and macrophages in fighting cancer and infections. He is especially interested in signaling pathways that control immune cell activation and inhibition, with the goal of developing innovative immunotherapy strategies. His research has advanced our understanding of how to strengthen immune responses while minimizing side effects, paving the way for safer and more effective treatments.
