CAR T cell therapy is one of the most exciting innovations in cancer care today. It uses a patient’s own immune cells—T cells—reprogrammed in a lab to recognise and destroy cancer.

In Australia, this personalised treatment has already shown powerful results in some types of blood cancers, including leukaemia and lymphoma.

But researchers at The Baker Institute want to take it further.

At the moment, CAR T therapy is not widely used for solid cancers like melanoma, and one of the big reasons is that the treatment doesn’t work as well in the complex environment of solid tumours. These complex environment can make it harder for the reprogrammed cells to survive and do their job.

Our team is working on new ways to improve how CAR T cells are made, with the goal of helping them perform better—not just in blood cancers, but potentially in solid cancers too. This could one day open up treatment options for more people and make CAR T therapy more effective and more accessible.

But we can’t do it alone.

We are seeking input from people with lived experience, clinical or scientific expertise, or an interest in cancer care to ensure that the future development of CAR T cell therapy is informed, ethical, and aligned with community needs. By this, we mean not only healthcare professionals and researchers, but also people affected by cancer—including anyone who has been diagnosed, as well as those who have supported someone with cancer, such as a family member, friend, or carer. Your insights will help guide how this therapy is developed, delivered, and communicated in the future.

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