Research Center, Earle A. Chiles Research Institute
Dr. Walker’s research program is primarily focused on the development and implementation of cutting edge technology to monitor anti-tumor immune responses in cancer patients enrolled in immuno-therapeutic cancer vaccine protocols at the Robert W. Franz Cancer Research Center. Much of his immuno-monitoring work involves the use of a powerful new technology platform — polychromatic flow cytometry — which his laboratory has helped develop and refine. Dr. Walker’s other major scientific interests involve studying the enhancement of anti-tumor immunity using interleukin-21 therapy. His work in this area has brought to light a new translational therapeutic model with the potential for treating cancer in humans.
Dr. Walker completed his Ph.D. in Immunology at the University of New Mexico School of Medicine, and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the Los Alamos National Laboratory – Health Sciences Division. He later served on the faculties of Indiana University School of Medicine and Purdue University, where he did basic research in cellular immunology. After leaving academic research, he became the Director of the Immunopharmacology Research Laboratory at RiBi ImmunoChem (Hamilton, Mont.), a biotechnology company. He established the Laboratory of Immunological Monitoring at the Franz Center in 2000.
- Dr. Walker’s early work in polychromatic flow cytometry helped demonstrate the utility of this technology for basic research and clinical immuno-monitoring of bone-marrow-transplant patients and patients with HIV. His application of polychromatic flow cytometry to the immuno-monitoring of cancer immunotherapy patients has established his laboratory as a center of excellence in the field.
- While at RiBi ImmunoChem, Dr. Walker developed patented vaccine adjuvants that have since been used in vaccines for cancer and infectious diseases.
"The development of new and more powerful ways to monitor anti-tumor immunity allows us to accelerate the process of refining and optimizing cancer immunotherapy strategies," says Dr. Walker. "Polychromatic flow cytometry will be integral to the development of the next generation of immuno-monitoring assays, and our laboratory will play a significant role in this effort."