About the Jonas Center for Cellular Therapy

Mission, Vision, Aims

About Us

Researchers at the University of Chicago Medicine will come together to develop personalized therapies for hard-to-treat cancers, thanks to a $10 million gift from the Jonas family. The gift establishes the David and Etta Jonas Center for Cellular Therapy at UChicago Medicine, named for David Jonas and his late wife, Etta.

The center unites a team of experts dedicated to improving cellular therapy, especially T-cell treatments like CAR (chimeric antigen receptor) T-cell therapy, an emerging form of cancer treatment. CAR T-cell therapy works by supercharging patients’ white blood cells to seek out and destroy cancer cells. Although this therapy has, in some cases, led to complete remission, it is not always successful and is currently limited to treating certain blood cancers.

Through the David and Etta Jonas Center for Cellular Therapy, researchers at UChicago Medicine will work to overcome these challenges and realize the full potential of cellular therapy. This includes efforts to improve the therapy’s overall effectiveness and extend its benefits to a much broader group of patients, including those with cancers that are currently difficult to treat.

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Vision

Leveraging our transplantation, immunology, and cancer research programs, establish the University of Chicago Medicine as an internationally recognized center of excellence in cellular therapeutics

Mission

Building on the strong foundation of institutional basic, translational and clinical research, address fundamental basic, translational and clinical questions which currently prevent the extensive use of cellular therapeutics to correct disease.

Aims

    • Facilitate and provide a scientific community for research in cellular therapeutics at the University of Chicago
    • Foster collaboration among University of Chicago investigators who have research related to any aspect of cellular therapeutic
    • Support early, high-risk laboratory and clinical research related to cellular therapy
    • Host scientific symposia, research meetings, and workshops on cellular therapy research and approaches to facilitate scientific discussion, foster collaboration, and disseminate knowledge
    • Form alliances and enhance relationships with other academic, professional, and industrial organizations to accelerate research and assist the clinical development and commercialization of cell therapies
    • Position the University of Chicago to become a national and international center of excellence for Cellular therapy
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