Home — Centre for Immuno-Oncology

The Center for Immuno-Oncology (CIO) investigates how our immune system reacts to cancer and what we can do to improve tumour immunity. We combine deep fundmental understanding of immunology with preclinical studies to translate new knowledge into clinical trials with the aim of developing new life-saving treatments for a spectrum of cancers.

Oxford’s long history of excellence in immunology is now focused on cancer, and CIO is the hub of the University-wide Oxford Cancer Immuno-Oncology Network (OCION) which links immuno-oncology researchers from multiple disciplines from across the University of Oxford, its affiliated hospitals and industrial partners.

Alice's Arc co-founder, Sara Wakeling, with her daughter Alice, who died five years after her rhabdomyosarcoma diagnosis.

CIO and Dunn School Join Forces to Pioneer Vaccines Against Childhood Cancers

A new partnership between Alice’s Arc, the Centre for Immuno-Oncology in the Nuffield Department of Medicine and the Sir William Dunn School of Pathology will pioneer the development of a bespoke mRNA vaccine to improve treatment outcomes for children with rhabdomyosarcoma, a rare and aggressive form of soft tissue cancer.

Shared Learning in Cancer Research: Brazilian Health Leaders Visit Oxford

Professor Tim Elliott and colleagues from Oxford Cancer and the Centre for Immuno-Oncology welcomed the Brazilian Minister of Health and senior officials for an official visit organised by the British Embassy in Brazil. The delegation met to exchange insights on cancer research, regulation, and public health, with discussions focusing on prevention, early diagnosis, and innovative treatments such as mRNA vaccines and immunotherapy.

About

CIO supports a spectrum discovery research from atoms to humans with a focus on improving human health.

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Professor Andrew McMichael elected to the US National Academy of Sciences

The National Academy of Sciences (NAS) in the US announced the election of 120 members and 30 international members in recognition of their distinguished and continuing achievements in original research. Election to membership in the NAS is a mark of excellence in science and is considered one of the highest honours that a scientist can receive.

Advancing cancer care: Dr Ignacio Melero awarded ESMO prize for immunotherapy innovation

The European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) has awarded the ESMO Immuno-Oncology Prize to Dr Ignacio Melero, Kidani Professor of Immuno-Therapeutics at the University of Oxford, in recognition of his major contributions to immuno-oncology over recent decades.

Dr Ignacio (Nacho) Melero inducted into the 2025 Class of Fellows of the Academy of Immuno-Oncology (FAIO). Pictured with his nominator, Kim A. Margolin, MD, FASCO, Saint John's Cancer Institute.

Dr Ignacio Melero recognised for global contribution to advances in cancer immunotherapy

The Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) has honoured Dr Ignacio (Nacho) Melero, Professor of Immunotherapy at NDM's Centre for Immuno-Oncology at Oxford, for his pioneering research transforming cancer treatment through immunotherapy.

Dr Simon Brackenridge

26 June 2026

It is with immense sadness that we report the death of Simon Brackenridge, a highly esteemed postdoctoral scientist in the Centre for Immuno-Oncology (CIO). He was diagnosed with a brain tumour in early 2025 which progressed relentlessly despite surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Simon faced this inevitability with great courage and fortitude, lovingly supported by his family, as well as the excellent carers in his final weeks.

Inaugural CIO Fun Run raises more than £1,400 for Cancer Research UK

3 June 2026

The Centre for Immuno-Oncology came together for its first-ever CIO Fun Run, bringing colleagues, friends and supporters to Port Meadow for a morning of running, walking and fundraising in support of Cancer Research UK.

Felipe Galvez-Cancino awarded CRUK Fellowship to advance new cancer immunotherapies

21 May 2026

Dr Felipe Galvez-Cancino, CRUK Career Development Fellow and Lab Head of the Immune Regulation Laboratory, has been awarded a six-year Cancer Research UK Career Development Fellowship. The fellowship will support an ambitious programme of research focused on harnessing myeloid immune cells to attack solid tumours.

Advancing cancer care: Dr Ignacio Melero awarded ESMO prize for immunotherapy innovation

10 December 2025

Oxford Cancer News

World Cancer Day

Discover how our researchers are tackling the major challenges in Cancer Research 🔬🧬 👉Featuring here Dr.Pedroza-Pacheco, Dr. Galvez-Cancino and and Dr.Leung from our Centre for immuno-Oncology 🎥 Watch the video to see the breakthroughs we're striving for! #Innovation

United by unique

This year’s #WorldCancerDay theme is 'United by Unique' and our work at the Centre for immuno-Oncology aligns with it by using fundamental science and exploring environmental factors to develop innovative personalised therapies

The future of Cancer Resarch

At the centre for immuno-Oncology we are focusing on improving patient outcomes through personalized approaches Watch the video to see how we’re transforming the future for cancer patients. 🎥 #CancerWorldDay

Latest publications

DNA prime and peptide boost immunization elicits robust neoantigen-specific CD8 + T cell responses and therapeutic protection in mouse tumor models.

Morgado-Cáceres P. et al, (2026), Oncoimmunology, 15

Genetic characterization of the TAPBP and its allelic association with BF2 in the chicken major histocompatibility complex.

Fernando R. et al, (2026), Immunogenetics, 78

An HIV-1 gp41 MPER liposome vaccine elicits neutralizing epitope-targeted antibody responses in HIV-seronegative individuals

Borrow P. and Aflalo A., (2026), Nature Communications

SorLA regulates B cell receptor uptake, trafficking, and B cell-mediated immune responses in vivo

Borrow P. et al, (2026), Journal of Experimental Medicine (JEM)

First-in-human study of lomvastomig, a PD-1-TIM-3 bispecific antibody, in patients with advanced and/or metastatic solid tumors.

Rohrberg KS. et al, (2026), J Immunother Cancer, 14

Immunopeptidomics-guided identification of functional neoantigens in non-small cell lung cancer.

Nicholas B. et al, (2026), NPJ precision oncology

Association of Diabetes Mellitus With a Shared Hyperinflammatory Immune Response in Patients With Melioidosis and Patients With Tuberculosis: An Observational Case-Control Study.

Rongkard P. et al, (2026), Open forum infectious diseases, 13

Association Between Chronic Inflammation, Bone Density, and Muscle in Peripubertal Adolescents With and Without HIV in Zimbabwe: A Cross-sectional Study.

Jeena L. et al, (2026), Open forum infectious diseases, 13

Engineering and improving anti-CTLA-4 checkpoint inhibitors.

Galvez-Cancino F. et al, (2026), Clinical cancer research : an official journal of the American Association for Cancer Research

Ensuring vaccine cold chain integrity: A rapid and low-cost test for identifying heat-exposed sucrose-containing vaccines.

Arman BY. et al, (2026), International journal of pharmaceutics: X, 11

Immunotherapies in CIO

What's new for Oxford Cancer

[Blog] The importance of PPI in basic, preclinical, and laboratory-based research.

26 June 2026
Professor Adam Mead appointed as Director of Oxford Cancer

15 June 2026
Oxford researchers hunt for hidden protein clues to prevent prostate cancer

10 June 2026
First trial of vaccine to prevent Lynch syndrome-associated cancers approved to start in Oxford

9 June 2026
Dr Ejung Moon awarded MRC funding to target metastatic breast cancer’s “Achilles’ heel”

28 May 2026

CIO and Dunn School Join Forces to Pioneer Vaccines Against Childhood Cancers

Shared Learning in Cancer Research: Brazilian Health Leaders Visit Oxford

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Professor Andrew McMichael elected to the US National Academy of Sciences

Advancing cancer care: Dr Ignacio Melero awarded ESMO prize for immunotherapy innovation

Dr Ignacio Melero recognised for global contribution to advances in cancer immunotherapy

CIO News

Dr Simon Brackenridge

Inaugural CIO Fun Run raises more than £1,400 for Cancer Research UK

Felipe Galvez-Cancino awarded CRUK Fellowship to advance new cancer immunotherapies