Research

The University of Miami Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center (SCCC) is the only National Cancer Institute designed cancer center in south Florida.  Our faculty are active participants of the multidisciplinary Research Programs of the University of Miami Sylvester including Tumor Biology and Experimental Therapeutics. Clinical trials are supported by the SCCC Clinical Research Services.

The Blood and Marrow Clinical Trials Network (BMT CTN) is a large multi-institution organized with goal of conducting large multicenter trials in hematopoietic cell transplantation. The BMT CTN is funded through The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute as well as the The National Cancer Institute. As a core Clinical Center of the BMT CTN, we offer many exclusive and exciting clinical trials that shape the future of HCT such as determining the optimal choice of conditioning chemotherapy, graft versus host disease prevention and treatment, and quality of life outcomes.

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The TCT Research Laboratory, co-led by Dr. Krishna Komanduri and Dr. Eric Wieder, focuses on immunology in the context of stem cell transplantation as a treatment for hematologic malignancies. Dr. Wieder’s expertise is in assessment of immune cells by multi-color flow cytometry, which is a way to look at many characteristics of individual immune cells simultaneously.  Dr. Wieder was recently awarded a State of Florida grant to establish a Hyperion (Fluidigm Corporation) multiplexed tissue imaging center, which uses unique metal-tagged reagents to look at many characteristics in cells and tissues at the single cell level and can be used to monitor immunotherapy responses in leukemias and solid tumors.  This is the only instrument of its kind in Florida, and one of a few installed in the southeastern United States.

A major focus of the TCT Research Laboratory is to improve understanding of virus-specific immune recovery and to reduce graft-versus-host disease in allogeneic stem cell transplant recipients. We have also worked collaboratively to perform immune monitoring and perform immune biomarker studies in novel clinical trials.  We also recently began assessing COVID-specific immunity in our transplant patients and monitoring CAR T cells after infusion into patients.

CAR T-cell therapy provides treatment potential for many multiply relapsed or refractory cancers in which standard chemotherapy is no longer effective.

We were an integral part of early clinical trials leading to the approval of axicabtagene ciloleucel (Yescarta) in aggressive lymphomas, and we continue to focus on identifying and improving the next generation of CAR T-cell therapies for an increasing array of cancers. New research protocols include CAR T-cell treatments with more than one antigen target (bicistronic CARS), off the shelf constructs (allogeneic CARs), and novel therapies to mitigate toxicities.

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Acute and Chronic Graft versus Host Disease (GvHD) can be a debilitating complication of allogeneic HCT due to undesired effects of the new immune system on the transplant recipient’s body. In conjunction with our Graft versus Host Disease Clinic, we offer clinical trials for the prevention and treatment of both acute and chronic GvHD.

South Florida is home to people of diverse ethnic heritage. In the absence of HLA-matched sibling or unrelated donors, access to HCT can be difficult with increased risk. Our Division has unique expertise in carrying out HCT with mismatched donors and have specialized interest in improving outcomes in this population through clinical trials with new donor and conditioning therapies.

Despite allogeneic HCT, relapse of hematologic cancers sometimes occurs after transplantation. We are investigating new agents and strategies to reduce the risk of cancer returning through intervention after HCT.

Infectious complications are common after HCT and are serious concerns to our patient population. In combination with our Infectious Disease Immunocompromised Host Service colleagues, we offer clinical trials for prevention and treatment of transplant specific or opportunist infections using novel therapies.