When Sameek Roychowdhury began his career as a cancer physician and scientist in the early 2000s, the field of immuno-oncology was in the early stages and didn’t look very promising. There were a few signs of progress but “we needed a fine-tuned approach rather than a sledgehammer,” In this episode, Roychowdhury gives a step-by-step history of immuno-oncology in easy-to-understand language. The turning point began with the successful completion of the human genome project in 2003. The ability to genetically sequence cancer tumors and find the specific mutations causing cancer was a game changer. Once mutations were identified, a challenge Roychowdhury describes as “finding a needle in a hjaystack,” effective immunotherapy drugs could then be developed. Roychowdhury’s lab at the James has discovered new genetic mutations and collaborates with other scientists at The Ohio State Comprehensive Cancer Center and pharmaceutical companies to develop treatments and clinical trials that allow the body’s own immune system to detect and attack cancer cells that had been able to “hide.” “How do we harness the power of the immune system; it has memory, is adaptable, preventative and there are so many ways to utilize it to fight cancer and prevent cancer,” Roychowdhury said. “Everything we do, every project, every idea, every grant, every publication and clinical trial starts and comes back to our patients.”