Cancer Vaccine Institute News

The Cancer Vaccine Institute (CVI) is advancing the emerging field of cancer research, developing vaccines to intercept cancer before it becomes invasive. We have developed WOKVAC, a DNA-based vaccine designed to target three proteins - HER2, IGFBP-2, and IGF-1R - highly expressed in most Ductal Carcinoma In Situ (DCIS), a preinvasive form of breast cancer. Although not immediately life-threatening, 20% of DCIS lesions may progress to invasive cancer. Patients diagnosed with

Last week, the halls of the Cancer Vaccine Institute (CVI) buzzed with conversation, curiosity, and optimism as Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal (WA-07) visited for an inside look at the future of cancer treatment and prevention. Moving through the lab, Congresswoman Jayapal met with CVI researchers, toured the Institute’s laboratory spaces, and learned more about the impact cancer vaccines are having on human health. The CVI team walked Congresswoman Jayapal through how our wor

At one of the most influential gatherings in global cancer research, Dr. Nora Disis, Director of the Cancer Vaccine Institute (CVI), took center stage. She was selected to speak at the Presidential Select Symposium at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting, which gathers scientists, health care professionals, clinicians, patients, and advocates from around the world to share advances in cancer research. The symposium, “Targeting Stage 0: Precision-

The US National Cancer Institute (NCI) and the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health have partnered to raise nearly $200 million to fund cancer vaccine clinical trials, including mRNA-based approaches for patients at high risk for tumor recurrence. Dr. Nora Disis In a recent article from Lancet Oncology, Dr. Nora Disis, Director of the Cancer Vaccine Institute (CVI), called the initiative a promising start, but commented that the scale of the investment remains sm

"We'd really like to see the science of oncology more, again through that lens of what is really going to make the difference for the patient in the next five years." That's the standard that Dr. Nora Disis is setting. In Episode 267 of Healthcare Unfiltered, Dr. Disis, Director of the Cancer Vaccine Institute (CVI), Editor-In-Chief of Jama Oncology , and Deputy Editor of JAMA, shares her vision for the future of medical publishing with Dr. Chadi Nabhan. She discusses the ev

Last week, KING 5 News featured ongoing research at the Cancer Vaccine Institute (CVI) to develop COLOVAC , a preventive vaccine designed to stop colon cancer before it starts. The segment included interviews with CVI Director Dr. Nora Disis and Becky Bruhn, a Seattle resident whose recent cancerous polyp illustrates the importance of early detection and need for new prevention tools. Colon cancer remains one of the leading causes of cancer death in the United States, and rat

We are proud to announce that Dr. Nora Disis, Director of the UW Cancer Vaccine Institute (CVI) and Dr. Kiran Dhillon, Executive Director, have been selected to join the 2026 XPRIZE Global Visioneering Brain Trust in the Health domain. XPRIZE brings world-class innovators together to tackle humanity’s greatest challenges through large-scale competitions that drive real-world impact. Their goal is to optimize wellness, advance personalized medicine, and drive scientific break

Dr. Denise Cecil, CVI Principal Scientist. PC: AP Photos Colon cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in the United States, with diagnoses rising among adults under 55. In response, the Cancer Vaccine Institute (CVI) at UW Medicine is developing COLOVAC, a first-in-class vaccine designed to intercept colon cancer at its earliest stages, offering hope to those at the highest risk. Rising Colon Cancer Risk Colon cancer remains one of the most consequential cancers o

Photo Credits: Fred Hutch Dr. Natasha (Tasha) Hunter , Cancer Vaccine Institute Director of Clinical Trials, has been selected as the recipient of the 2026 Athena Endowed Award for Excellence in Breast Cancer Research. The Athena Award was established to recognize an early career researcher making the greatest contribution during the past year toward advancing research to improve the prevention, detection, diagnosis and/or treatment of breast cancer. Read more about Dr. Hunte

The Cancer Vaccine Institute (CVI) is proud to highlight a recent JAMA Oncology Viewpoint co‑authored by our Executive Director, Dr. Kiran Dhillon, and Dr. Lennard Lee of the University of Oxford, outlining why the time for cancer vaccines is now. For decades, the U.S. has invested in the science, infrastructure, and talent needed to make cancer vaccines possible. Early clinical data now show that these vaccines are safe, effective, and already providing meaningful benefits

The Cancer Vaccine Institute (CVI) is proud to share our 2025 Year in Review that highlights our research and achievements. We made remarkable progress last year, advancing vaccines in clinical trials, moving vaccines in our preclinical pipeline forward, and sharing our research with the community. We are especially grateful to our patients, scientists, clinicians, collaborators, staff, faculty, and supporters. Your ongoing partnership and scientific leadership accelerates re

The Cancer Vaccine Institute (CVI) at UW Medicine is advancing a new generation of cancer vaccines designed to train the immune system to recognize and eliminate cancer cells. These vaccines target proteins that are overexpressed in cancer, drive tumor growth, and are linked to poor outcomes. Once activated, vaccine‑generated immune cells circulate throughout the body, seek out cancer cells, and can remain for years, providing long‑term protection. CVI is developing vaccines

The Cancer Vaccine Institute (CVI) took park in the 2025 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium from December 9-12, 2025, bringing our latest research to one of the world's leading forums for breast cancer science. Faculty members from the CVI presented four scientific posters with fellow collaborators, researchers, and scientists. Through these presentations, the CVI team highlighted recent discoveries in HER2-targeted vaccines, neoadjuvant immunotherapy, and findings from our

Dr. Shaveta Vinayak This past year, we mourned the loss of our beloved colleague and friend, Dr. Shaveta Vinayak, who passed away after a courageous battle with metastatic breast cancer. Dr. Vinayak was an extraordinary physician–scientist whose brilliance, compassion, and unwavering commitment to patients shaped every part of our work at the Cancer Vaccine Institute. Shaveta’s career was defined by excellence, and she quickly emerged as a national leader in breast cancer res

Dr. Ying Liu presented this study at the 2025 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium At the UW Cancer Vaccine Institute, we are working to develop vaccines that train the immune system to recognize and eliminate cancer. At the 2025 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, we shared new data comparing two of our HER2-targeted therapeutic vaccine platforms for people with advanced HER2-positive breast cancer. About 20% of all breast cancers overexpress the HER2 protein, which can make

The Cancer Vaccine Institute (CVI) was excited to share new results from a multi-center clinical trial led by Moffitt Cancer Center at the 2025 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium. These results offer encouraging evidence for WOKVAC, a HER2-targeted DNA vaccine developed here at the CVI. In this study, Moffitt and collaborating sites evaluated whether HER2 vaccination could help prevent recurrence in patients at especially high risk, including individuals who still have invas

Every year, In Concert for Cancer brings people together through music, hope, and a shared commitment to ending cancer. At the Cancer Vaccine Institute (CVI), that commitment translates directly into momentum by fueling discoveries and supporting the people who will carry this mission forward. This year, their partnership is helping accelerate one of the most ambitious goals in cancer research: preventing ovarian cancer before it starts. And at the heart of that effort is a

At the 2025 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, the UW Cancer Vaccine Institute shared new research revealing how a unique population of immune cells, shaped in part by the gut microbiome, may influence breast cancer growth and treatment response. Our team’s findings shed light on these immune cells called BAC‑TA T cells, their presence in newly diagnosed patients, and how precision probiotics could one day help shift the immune environment to better fight tumors. Dr. Denise

The UW Cancer Vaccine Institute is excited to share new findings suggesting that a HER2-targeted cancer vaccine may help protect HER2-positive breast cancer patients from developing brain metastases—one of the most difficult complications to treat. Dr. Candace Haghighi presented these findings at the 2025 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium. Dr. Candace B. Haghighi at the 2025 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium The Highlights: HER2-positive breast cancer has a high risk of s

PC: American Cancer Society On October 23, 2025, Dr. Nora Disis , Director of the Cancer Vaccine Institute, helped lead the conversation at the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) Washington Research & Policy Breakfast at the Bell Harbor International Conference Center. This annual event is ACS CAN’s flagship gathering in Washington State, convening policymakers, researchers, clinicians, and patient advocates to explore how evidence-based strategies can r