The main focus of this laboratory is to study the fundamental mechanisms that govern the interaction of cancer cells with the immune system. In particular, our laboratory is trying to exploit the fact that cancer cells usually carry cancer-specific mutations and antigens, and that under certain conditions, the immune system can destroy cancer cells even after they have disseminated in the body. We are trying to understand the mechanisms that often allow immunogenic cancer cells to escape immune destruction, and we want to develop new strategies and principles on which to base novel therapeutic approaches. We are also studying the signals needed for the immune system to be alerted be cancer cells, and then to destroy these cells. Finally, we combine immunology with genetics and biochemistry, which provides us with a powerful tool to search for cancer-specific changes in malignant cells in order to identify critical mechanisms and immunological targets that can be used to destroy the cancer.