Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center has a history of medical breakthroughs in cancer research, and this time, researchers at the facility are taking the lead in developing solutions to the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Thanks to enormous funding from the National Institute of Health (NIH), one powerful team of researchers from Fred Hutch in particular, along with researchers from the University of Washington and several other institutions, are running studies throughout the United States, Africa, Latin America, China, and Europe. Specifically investigating the relationship between the virus and its transmission processes, Fred Hutch researchers formed the group known as defeatHIV, in hopes of discovering whether or not the immune system can build a prevention of infection if exposed through a vaccine or otherwise.
A $20 million grant was initially issued to Fred Hutch researchers to develop gene and cell therapies in relation to HIV infection. Due to successful findings and promising leads, they shortly afterwards received an additional $23.5 million in funding to build upon that research.
The successes can link back to a bone marrow stem cell transplant therapy that was discovered 40 years ago by Fred Hutch scientists, with the purpose of treating cancer patients. Many years later, this same type of therapy was used (for the first time ever!) to treat a man of both his HIV infection and leukemia. This process was just recently repeated and the results announced in March 2019, leaving scientists eager to continue broadening their understanding of the pathways of immunity and transmission responses in HIV patients.
The National Institute of Health has funded the cancer center immensely to keep pushing forward in support of these new findings. Fred Hutch has already received more than $50.5 million for the HIV Vaccine Trials in 2019 alone. As this groundbreaking research continues, scientists at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center are looking for biotech innovations to accelerate and improve their research capabilities.
Biotechnology Calendar, Inc. is hosting a BioResearch Product FaireTM event at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center with the goal of connecting researchers to the laboratory suppliers that can help drive this vaccine research into a well-known preventative therapy.
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center Biotechnology Vendor ShowcaseTM event - September 11, 2019
More information for this event can be found through the link below:
