Cancer Immunotherapy – Does the Science Match the Hype? SWOCC release – Coos Bay, OR – Southwestern Oregon Community College is excited to launch our new Chemistry Lecture Series, presenting a lecture by Dr. Cory Brooks, Associate Professor, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Fresno State, who will discuss “Cancer Immunotherapy – Does the Science Match the Hype?”. Please join us on Friday, March 15, 2024, at 6:00 pm. This is a free event; all ages are welcome. Coos County residents can join us in-person in the Umpqua Hall lecture room 184 on the Coos Campus, 1988 Newmark Ave., Coos Bay. Curry County residents can join us for a watch party in the Community Room on the Curry Campus, 96082 Lone Ranch Parkway, Brookings. About the lecture: At the end of the 19th century German physician Paul Ehrlich dreamed of a “magic bullet” that would specifically eliminate disease without harming the body. More than a century later, this dream has become a reality. Scientists have harnessed the incredible ability of the immune system to destroy disease. Monoclonal antibodies are immune proteins that bind and eradicate disease using a variety of mechanisms. In 1986, the first monoclonal antibody was approved for human treatment. Now in 2024, with approximately 250 billion dollars in sales last year, more than 160 monoclonal antibodies on the market, and hundreds more in clinical trials for the treatment of everything from arthritis to cancer, we may be on the cusp of a new era of antibody-based immunotherapy. By drawing on examples from the literature and research in the Brooks lab at Fresno State, this talk will explore what basic research can tell us about the promise and flaws of antibody therapy. About the presenter: Dr. Brooks obtained a Ph.D. from the University of Victoria (2005-2010) and was a postdoc at the University of Alberta (2010-2013). He has been a faculty member at Fresno State since 2013 and his research program at Fresno State uses structural biology to understand fundamental aspects of antibody-antigen recognition. Dr. Brooks also teaches a variety of biochemistry courses. For those unable to attend in-person, the talk will be streamed live through Southwestern’s YouTube channel at: https://www.youtube.com/@SouthwesternOR/streams. For more information about the lecture series contact Derek Morrelli, Assistant Professor of Chemistry, at 541-888-1507, derek.morrelli@socc.edu. For information about studying chemistry at Southwestern visit: https://www.socc.edu/chemistry/.
