The science that investigates the ensembles of all peptides associated with human leukocyte antigen (HLA) molecules is termed "immunopeptidomics" and is typically driven by mass spectrometry (MS) technologies. Recent advances in MS technologies, neoantigen discovery, and cancer immunotherapy have catalyzed the launch of the Human Immunopeptidome Project with the goal of providing a complete map of the human immunopeptidome and making the technology so robust that it will be available in every clinic. In this presentation, I will describe our latest progress in the field for the discovery of tumor-specific antigens and viral epitopes in cancer and infectious diseases. I will also provide a long-term perspective on the field and explore how I think the completion of the full sequencing of the human immunopeptidome will truly impact society in the future. In this context, I will highlight the importance of large cohort studies for the future and how applying quantitative immunopeptidomics at a population scale may provide a new perspective on individual predisposition to common immune diseases as well as responsiveness to vaccines and immunotherapies.

This seminar will be videocast as a ZoomGov Meeting