Cancer Vaccine Institute - University of Washington

10/09/2025

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and we're thrilled to share that the Safeway Check-Stand Campaign is back!

All month long, you have the chance to donate directly to Bring an End to Cancer — a powerful initiative supporting the groundbreaking work of the Cancer Vaccine Institute at UW Medicine.

We are deeply grateful to Safeway and their shoppers for their support of our life-saving cancer research, which brings us closer to vaccines that prevent and treat cancer — one breakthrough at a time.

Thank you to Safeway customers and staff for your support of CVI!

10/08/2025

Music Helping to Advance Cancer Vaccines

Last week, Dr. Nora Disis had the honor of speaking on stage at the 14th Annual Benefit Show hosted by In Concert for Cancer, an unforgettable evening filled with powerful performances, heartfelt stories, and a shared commitment to making a difference.

Thank you to the incredible organizers, artists, and supporters who came together to support our work at the Cancer Vaccine Institute. Together we are developing life-saving vaccines that ignite the immune system to treat and prevent cancer.

09/30/2025

Nearly 20 years of relentless research has brought us to a turning point — ovarian cancer vaccines are on the horizon, ready to change lives.

But we can’t do it alone. As federal funding declines, your support is the key to keeping this momentum strong and delivering these life-saving vaccines to those who need them most.

Join us in making ovarian cancer history.

Learn more and support our work: https://www.uwcvi.org/donate-now

09/29/2025

Advocates and supporters, like Katerie Laughlin Schei, help make the work of the Cancer Vaccine Institute possible.

With federal funding in jeopardy, philanthropic support is more critical than ever to continue our momentum and ensure these vaccines reach the patients who need them.

We need your help. Donate today and help accelerate ovarian cancer research: https://www.uwcvi.org/donate-now.

09/22/2025

Jamie’s journey from patient to advocate is a powerful reminder of what’s possible when research moves forward.

Her story fuels our commitment to bring life-saving breakthroughs to more patients, faster.

Learn more about the Cancer Vaccine Institute’s work — and how you can help accelerate ovarian cancer research: https://www.uwcvi.org/post/bold-progress-to-end-ovarian-cancer-how-vaccines-are-changing-the-future

09/17/2025

Ovarian cancer remains one of the most lethal gynecologic cancers — but for the first time, real breakthroughs are within reach.

At the Cancer Vaccine Institute, four promising ovarian cancer vaccines are already moving forward, bringing us closer to a future where prevention and lasting treatment are possible.

➡️ Learn more about the progress underway: https://www.uwcvi.org/post/bold-progress-to-end-ovarian-cancer-how-vaccines-are-changing-the-future

09/12/2025

Each September, Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month shines a light on the urgent need to improve outcomes for people affected by this devastating disease.

As one of the most lethal gynecologic cancers, it remains critically underfunded. Recent federal budget cuts slashed ovarian cancer research funding from $45 million to just $15 million.

This setback comes as breakthroughs are within reach, but progress may now slow significantly.

➡️ Like and share this post to help spread the word.

09/10/2025

We're excited to announce that we've received a $500K Game-Changer Grant from the Cancer Vaccine Coalition ion and The V Foundation for Cancer Research to expand our Phase II clinical trial of WOKVAC—a multi-antigen vaccine for HER2-positive breast cancer! This grant fuels our ability to reach more patients and generate deeper insights into immune-driven cancer therapy.

As patient Carmel Laurino shared: “Getting WOKVAC alongside my treatment felt like an added layer of protection—hope grounded in science.”

We’re grateful to our patients and supporters such as Kristen Dahlgren from the CVC and the V Foundation for helping make this future possible!

https://www.uwcvi.org/current-clinical-trials

24 months ago, a single conversation between Cancer Vaccine Coalition’s founder and Dr. Nora Disis changed everything.

That conversation was the first time Kristen learned about the incredible clinical trials taking place right now for cancer vaccines.

As a breast cancer survivor and correspondent for NBC’s TODAY Show and Nightly News, Kristen couldn’t believe she hadn’t heard more about cancer vaccines or this science.

Captivated by the possibility of a future where no one dies from this disease, she made a bold choice: she went on and announced she was leaving her dream job to start a nonprofit dedicated to accelerating cancer vaccine research.

💛 Today, we are seeing that leap pay off. The entire Cancer Vaccine Coalition team is thrilled to announce its first grant — $500,000 to expand the UW Cancer Vaccine Institute’s groundbreaking WOKVAC trial by over 50%.

From one conversation to funding breakthrough science... this is what trailblazing leadership looks like.

Through CVC’s strategic partnership with — one of the nation’s most respected cancer research charities — we’re not just funding trials. We’re accelerating hope.

💛 Nine more women with HER2+ breast cancer will now access this vaccine, designed to prevent recurrence. Each patient brings us closer to proving what researchers already believe: cancer vaccines can save lives.

The V Foundation’s Chief Scientific Officer called this moment “inspiring momentum.” Dr. Disis calls it a “tipping point.”

We call it proof that a new era in cancer treatment has begun. Proof that courageous leadership can change everything.

Cancer vaccines aren’t coming someday. They’re here. They’re showing promise. And thanks to leaders like Kristen and the V Foundation for Cancer Research, we’re one step closer to making them available to every patient who needs them.

💛 Real hope. Right now.

💛 This is just the beginning. Follow along

07/21/2025

At a State of the School Luncheon last month, Tim Dellit, MD, Fel. ’03, dean of the UW School of Medicine and CEO of UW Medicine, joined Nora Disis, MD, Fel. ’93, director of the Cancer Vaccine Institute - University of Washington, to discuss her award-winning, lifesaving cancer vaccine research.

“Science has changed the way I practice medicine. I can say, as an oncologist, for every single cancer there has been a sea change in the way I treat that disease in the last 15 years. There are cancers that we’ve cured...It’s changed because of the advances we have made in science that have gone directly into the clinic. Over ninety percent of the new treatments have changed cancer therapy started from an idea in academic laboratories. At this point in time, it scares me to think of that trajectory coming to a stop. We’ve made so many gains, and I want to see that continue for the next generation,” said Dr. Disis.

On engaging the next generation—future physicians and clinicians—Dr. Disis stated, “I want to impart to them the joy of being ‘a lab rat’…You’re not the lone wolf, you develop your team and all support each other, especially in translational research, bench to bedside research. That’s the type of research a physician should be doing, research that goes into patients.”

On what makes the UW Medicine ecosystem unique, Dr. Disis shared, “There is no barrier to collaboration, no ego. We’re all in it for the fun of it—of moving science forward.”

07/21/2025

🌍 Big strides in the global fight against cancer — and UW Cancer Vaccine Institute at UW Medicine is part of the story.

In a recent The Economist article on cancer breakthroughs, Dr. Mary (Nora) Disis, Director of the UW Cancer Vaccine Institute, was quoted on the promise of cancer vaccines. She emphasized that vaccines could be used not just to treat cancer, but to prevent it entirely — a transformative shift in how we approach the disease.

Read the full article here: https://www.economist.com/briefing/2025/07/17/the-world-is-making-impressive-progress-averting-cancer?giftId=1ed47997-1258-4389-bcae-5a1a06d954c5&utm_campaign=gifted_article

And there are more improvements to come

06/26/2025

At the Cancer Vaccine Institute, Adam Prince works with over 30,000 frozen blood samples, some of which were collected as far back as the 1980s. Stored in liquid nitrogen, they serve as a living archive of cancer research, revealing how the immune system responds to our cancer vaccines, even decades later.

Meet the scientist helping turn decades of immunological data into tomorrow’s breakthroughs through his profile on our blog series : https://www.uwcvi.org/post/on-the-cancer-research-frontier-adam-prince-research-scientist-at-immunological-monitoring-laborat

05/29/2025

Thank you to Valley Girls & Guys! for your $500,000 pledge to support cancer vaccine research at CVI.

“Valley Girls & Guys! proudly supports the groundbreaking work of the Cancer Vaccine Institute. Our mission is to harness the power of community to support cancer patients and their families, and CVI’s commitment to a future without cancer aligns perfectly with our values. We are honored to stand side by side on this journey of hope. XOXO,” said Tina McDonough, Founder of Valley Girls & Guys.