About the UPMC Immune Transplant and Therapy Center
UPMC and the University of Pittsburgh envision a day when Pittsburgh is the world’s destination for immune transplant and therapy.
At the UPMC Immune Transplant and Therapy Center our goal is to:
- Advance the science of immunotherapy.
- Improve the longevity and quality of life for our own patients and patients around the world.
- Become a global knowledge leader in immune transplant and therapy.
This new research powerhouse focuses on exploring the power of the human immune system in three main areas:
Our History: Leaders in Transplant and Cancer Immune Therapy
For more than 30 years, UPMC has been a leader in the field of organ transplantation. Our groundbreaking immunosuppression work opened up new possibilities that helped make organ transplant a standard of care all over the world.
And experts at UPMC Hillman Cancer Center have been on the forefront of novel cancer immunotherapy treatment approaches for over three decades.
They developed effective immune therapies and life-extending protocols for a wide range of cancers, including:
- Melanoma
- Head and neck cancer hematologic malignancies
- Lung cancer
Our research has helped us better understand the human immune system so we can now offer hope to people with life-limiting illnesses.
UPMC and the University of Pittsburgh: Partners in Immunotherapy
At UPMC, delivering outstanding patient care — backed by decades of pioneering research at the University of Pittsburgh — is our top priority.
As leaders in the field of immunotherapy, we are dramatically accelerating the pace at which medical teams are developing the next generation of care.
Our researchers can quickly test ambitious, high-reward projects and translate them into revolutionary care to patients as quickly as possible.
Immunotherapy: New Hope for Patients
Immunotherapy is the treatment of a disease by using immune cells. This novel treatment strengthens or regulates a person’s immune response faster and more efficiently than routine therapies.
Most commonly associated with cancer, immune therapy enhances the actions of the immune system to fight cancer cells. This proves that we can leverage the body’s own defenses to fight cancer and other diseases.
For more than thirty years, UPMC has been a leader in organ transplant and cancer immunotherapy.
Applying what we know from these years of work in the field of immunotherapy, we’re learning that transplanting the immune system:
- Will allow us to reduce, or even eliminate, the need for anti-rejection drugs after organ transplant.
- Can offer new hope to people with cancer and other life-limiting diseases.
- Has value and potential for people with chronic or age-related diseases, such as frailty, atherosclerosis, and even Alzheimer’s.
