Chantale Bernatchez MSc, PhD

Dr. Chantale Bernatchez, Ph.D. an immunologist initially trained in basic immunology for 10 years. Bernatchez joined MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, TX in 2007 where Bernatchez specialized in tumor immunology in Bernatchez postdoctoral work. Since 2009 Bernatchez has been overseeing the production of T cell therapy products for an ongoing adoptive T cell therapy clinical study at MDACC. Personnel from Bernatchez lab manufacture the T cell product according to good manufacturing practices (GMP). T cells are grown from melanoma tumor samples (tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes or TIL) and through a rapid expansion process are expanded to billions of T cells to be infused back to the patient. Basically, the patient is infused with more of his own cancer-fighting cells, after undergoing a lymphodepleting regimen to rid the body of regulatory elements dampening immunity to cancer cells.

The therapy has been very successful with a 48% clinical response rate and most of the responses being durable. Despite great results, we are at this point investigating why the other half of the patients would not respond and trying to define biomarkers that could predict response to the therapy. Another focus of Bernatchez's research is on process development in order to streamline the complex and time-consuming method to expand the T cells ex-vivo. We are hoping to develop an easier and more cost-effective T cell manufacturing process. Easing the manufacturing of the cells will expand our capacity to treat more patients and expedite regulatory approval of this effective treatment which is required to make it available to the masses. Bernatchez is thrilled to work on cancer immunotherapy at this time and to play an active role in moving the field forward.