![\"Immunology](\"https:\/\/www.saintjohnscancer.org\/translational-research-departments\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2021\/06\/immunology-testing.jpg\")
Although considerable progress has been made in understanding how cancers induce immune evasion, thus causing resistance to treatment interventions, including immunotherapy, additional research is still needed. Following immunotherapeutic interventions, indeed only 30% of cancer patients respond optimally, thus demonstrating the urgency to explore the underlying reasons leading to such phenomena more in depth. <\/p>\n
At the Saint John’s Cancer Institute, the Rosalie and Harold Rae Brown Cancer Immunotherapy Research Program is addressing this problem by enabling high throughput immune fingerprints (molecular functional profiles), at baseline and following therapeutic interventions, to facilitate precision medicine and help select: (i) patients who benefit most to treatment interventions, (ii) treatments that are most appropriate and effective for patients. <\/p>\n","layer_is_content_auto_columns":false,"sidebar_position":"right","widgets":false,"layer_icon":"","layer_icon_position":"left","layer_background_color":"","layer_id":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"layer_content_sidebar","layer_label":"","layer_headline":"","layer_intro":"","layer_content":"
Immunology Program Funding<\/h2>\n
The Translational Immunology Research department is proudly supported by Rosalie and Harold Rae Brown Cancer Immunotherapy Research Program. The Rosalie and Harold Rae Brown Cancer Immunotherapy Research Program provides collaborative services and solutions for our centers of excellence, which includes clinical teams for melanoma, breast, endocrine, neurosciences, and other types of cancer. Together, we develop immunology therapeutics designed for each patient’s specific attributes, working to improve outcomes and quality of life. Immunology therapeutics are developed here at the Saint John’s Cancer Institute\u2014a premier research facility that is actively partnering with academic and industry organizations around the world. <\/p>\n","layer_is_content_auto_columns":false,"sidebar_position":"right","widgets":false,"layer_icon":"","layer_icon_position":"left","layer_background_color":"","layer_id":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"layer_content_sidebar","layer_label":"","layer_headline":"","layer_intro":"","layer_content":" Our immune system can recognize what is normal and what is foreign in our body. As such, our immune cells are regularly trained to fight everything that is not part of our self. One of the reasons why cancer cells can grow and multiply without being challenged is because our immune system doesn\u2019t recognize the development of cancer cells as something strange. This phenomenon is referred to as immune evasion or immune escape–cancer cells escaping or evading the immune system. <\/p>\n By focusing on what is causing evasion, will help guide better treatment and management of cancer progression. It is therefore important to assess each individual case because immune evasion in one patient can be different from what is causing immune evasion in another. It is the fundamental principle of precision immunology and medicine\u2014identifying the inhibitors of immune response at the patient level.<\/p>\n","layer_is_content_auto_columns":false,"sidebar_position":"right","widgets":false,"layer_icon":"","layer_icon_position":"left","layer_background_color":"","layer_id":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"layer_content_sidebar","layer_label":"","layer_headline":"","layer_intro":"","layer_content":" Kim Margolin, MD, FACP, FASCO<\/strong> Dr. Margolin<\/a> has been centrally involved in numerous groundbreaking clinical trials, including research that helped establish agents like ipilimumab as foundational therapies in melanoma. Her translational research interests include mechanisms of brain metastasis, immunologic determinants of treatment response, and optimizing systemic therapies for high\u2011risk and metastatic skin cancers. At Saint John\u2019s Cancer Institute, she collaborates closely with surgeons and molecular scientists to drive innovation across clinical trials, translational immunology, and precision therapeutics\u2014all with the goal of improving outcomes for patients with melanoma and other cutaneous malignancies.<\/p>\n","layer_is_content_auto_columns":false,"sidebar_position":"right","widgets":false,"layer_icon":"","layer_icon_position":"left","layer_background_color":"","layer_id":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"layer_content_image","layer_label":"","layer_headline":"Publications","layer_content":" Dr. Kim Margolin has published many dozens of peer-reviewed and co-authored articles on immunotherapy and melanoma. See additional articles at pubmed.ncbi.nim.nih.gov<\/a>.<\/p>\n![\"Precision](\"https:\/\/www.saintjohnscancer.org\/translational-research-departments\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2021\/06\/cancer-cell-t-cell-immuno.jpg\")
More about Precision Immunology<\/h3>\n
\n![\"Kim](\"https:\/\/www.saintjohnscancer.org\/translational-research-departments\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/03\/Kim-Margolin-MD-2026b.jpg\")
\n
\nJ Clin Oncol. 2025 Apr;43(10):1210-1218. doi: 10.1200\/JCO.24.00953. Epub 2025 Jan 3.
\nPMID: 39752606\n<\/li>\n
\nAnn Oncol. 2025 Jul;36(7):807-818. doi: 10.1016\/j.annonc.2025.03.021. Epub 2025 Apr 8.
\nPMID:\u00a040204154\n<\/li>\n
\nJ Immunother Cancer. 2025 May 30;13(5):e011119. doi: 10.1136\/jitc-2024-011119.
\nPMID:\u00a040447314\u00a0Free PMC article.\u00a0Review.\n<\/li>\n
\nPigment Cell Melanoma Res. 2025 May;38(3):e70027. doi: 10.1111\/pcmr.70027.
\nPMID:\u00a040405404\u00a0Free PMC article.\n<\/li>\n
\nJ Clin Oncol. 2024 Nov 20;42(33):3891-3894. doi: 10.1200\/JCO-24-01634. Epub 2024 Oct 7.
\nPMID:\u00a039374466\u00a0No abstract available.\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n","layer_link":"","layer_img":1444,"layer_img_position":"left","layer_img_size":"cover","layer_img_is_fade":false,"layer_background_color":"bg-gray-l","layer_id":""}],"header_scripts":"{\r\n \"@context\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\",\r\n \"@graph\": [\r\n {\r\n \"@type\": \"MedicalWebPage\",\r\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/www.saintjohnscancer.org\/translational-research-departments\/immunology\/\",\r\n \"@id\": \"https:\/\/www.saintjohnscancer.org\/translational-research-departments\/immunology\/#MedicalWebPage\",\r\n \"inLanguage\": \"en-US\",\r\n \"specialty\": \"Translational Research\",\r\n \"mentions\": [\r\n {\r\n \"@type\": \"Physician\",\r\n \"@id\": \"https:\/\/www.saintjohnscancer.org\/thoracic\/meet-our-team\/people\/dr-robert-mckenna\/\",\r\n \"name\": \"Maria L. Ascierto\",\r\n \"address\": {\r\n \"@type\": \"PostalAddress\",\r\n \"addressLocality\": \"Santa Monica\",\r\n \"addressRegion\": \"CA\",\r\n \"postalCode\": \"90404\",\r\n \"streetAddress\": \"2200 Santa Monica\"\r\n },\r\n \"areaServed\": \"US\",\r\n \"contactPoint\": [\r\n {\r\n \"@type\": \"ContactPoint\",\r\n \"telephone\": \"+1-310-315-6125\",\r\n \"contactType\": \"Main Facility\"\r\n }\r\n ],\r\n \"knowsAbout\": {\r\n \"@type\": \"MedicalCondition\",\r\n \"description\": \"Translational Cancer Immunology is a field of research that focuses on applying insights from basic immunology to develop innovative and effective immunotherapies for treating cancer. 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It aims to bridge the gap between laboratory discoveries and clinical applications, harnessing the immune system's power to target and eliminate cancer cells.\",\r\n \"name\": \"Translational Cancer Immunology\",\r\n \"associatedAnatomy\": {\r\n \"@type\": \"AnatomicalStructure\",\r\n \"name\": [\r\n \"lungs\",\r\n \"breast\",\r\n \"skin\",\r\n \"colon\",\r\n \"prostate\"\r\n ]\r\n }\r\n },\r\n \"isPartOf\": {\r\n \"@type\": \"WebSite\",\r\n \"@id\": \"https:\/\/www.saintjohnscancer.org\/#webpage\",\r\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/www.saintjohnscancer.org\/\",\r\n \"name\": \"Saint John's Cancer Institute\",\r\n \"keywords\": [\r\n \"Translational Cancer Immunology\"\r\n ],\r\n \"accessMode\": \"visual\",\r\n \"audience\": \"http:\/\/schema.org\/Patient\",\r\n \"publisher\": {\r\n \"@type\": \"MedicalOrganization\",\r\n \"@id\": \"https:\/\/www.saintjohnscancer.org\/#MedicalOrganization\",\r\n \"name\": \"Saint John's Cancer Institute\",\r\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/www.saintjohnscancer.org\/\",\r\n \"address\": {\r\n \"@type\": \"PostalAddress\",\r\n \"addressLocality\": \"Santa Monica\",\r\n \"addressRegion\": \"CA\",\r\n \"postalCode\": \"90404\",\r\n \"streetAddress\": \"2200 Santa Monica\"\r\n },\r\n \"areaServed\": \"US\",\r\n \"contactPoint\": [\r\n {\r\n \"@type\": \"ContactPoint\",\r\n \"telephone\": \"+1-310-315-6125\",\r\n \"contactType\": \"Main Facility\"\r\n }\r\n ],\r\n \"foundingDate\": \"1991\",\r\n \"legalName\": \"Saint John's Cancer Institute\",\r\n \"description\": \"In 1991, the John Wayne Cancer Institute launched a successful affiliation with Saint John\u2019s Health Center and opened in Santa Monica, California. Combined with the exceptional quality of Saint John\u2019s medical staff and hospital, a unique community-based cancer research and training institute was formed, outstanding in the areas of translational research and the treatment of solid tumors including surgical oncology, immunotherapy, chemotherapy, and radiation. Leading this remarkable charge was the late Donald L. Morton, M.D., a larger than life presence who was born in a rural, coal-mining town in West Virginia. His persistent, scientific questioning of the role of the immune system in fighting cancer led to many advances throughout his decorated career.\",\r\n \"logo\": {\r\n \"@type\": \"ImageObject\",\r\n \"@id\": \"https:\/\/www.saintjohnscancer.org\/#logo\",\r\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/www.saintjohnscancer.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/SJCI_reverse_color-2048x512b.png\",\r\n \"caption\": \"Saint John's Cancer Institute\"\r\n }\r\n }\r\n }\r\n }\r\n ]\r\n}","int_alt_page_title":"","int_page_description":"","int_masthead_image":false,"int_page_icon":"","int_secondary_cta_override":false,"int_secondary_cta_is_hidden":false,"hero_group":{"":null,"layer_hero_headline":"Translational Cancer Immunology","layer_hero_excerpt":"The Translational Cancer Immunology department at the Saint John\u2019s Cancer Institute is supported by the Rosalie and Harold Rae Brown Cancer Immunotherapy Research Program and is the heart of SJCI translational research, which encompasses our clinical trials, biospecimens, and biomedical informatics programs. The objective of the Translational Cancer Immunology department is to foster Precision Immunology by understanding and identifying the various interactions between cancer and the immune system. These relations will be explored at baseline and after therapeutic interventions in individual cases to: (i) discover patterns of immune evasion responsible for resistance to immunotherapy and additional therapeutic interventions, (ii) foster the development of novel immunotherapeutic treatments. 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