UF Health Researchers Make Breakthrough Discovery Toward Universal Cancer Vaccine

A team of scientists at UF Health and the University of Florida has uncovered a surprising immune system interaction that could lay the foundation for a universal cancer vaccine—potentially transforming the future of cancer treatment.

Published in Nature Communications, the research reveals that certain naturally occurring fats, or lipids, can trigger a strong T-cell immune response, a finding that challenges long-held beliefs in cancer immunology. This breakthrough suggests that lipids may be used to stimulate the immune system to recognize and attack a wide range of cancer cells—an approach that could lead to a broad-spectrum vaccine.

The research was led by Dr. Linh T. Bui, assistant professor in the UF College of Medicine’s Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology and is the result of a multi-year collaboration between UF Health, the University of Florida’s Center for Immunology and Transplantation, and the UF Health Cancer Center.

This discovery positions UF Health at the forefront of immunotherapy research and continues the organization’s legacy of advancing lifesaving innovation through scientific excellence.

Read more: Surprising finding could pave way for universal cancer vaccine | UF Health