James Patrick Allison

James Patrick Allison is a Regental Professor and Chair of the Department of Immunology at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. He is also Executive Director of the Immunotherapy Platform, Director of the James P. Allison Institute, and co-Director of the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy at MD Anderson. His groundbreaking work in immunology and cancer immunotherapy has earned him numerous accolades, including the 2018 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.

• Doctor of Philosophy in Biological Science, University of Texas at Austin (1973)
• Bachelor of Science in Microbiology, University of Texas at Austin (1969)

Allison’s research focuses on the molecular immunology of T-cell antigen receptors, co-stimulatory receptors, and immune checkpoint blockade. He discovered the T-cell receptor in 1977 and demonstrated CTLA-4’s role as an inhibitory molecule in the 1990s, leading to the development of ipilimumab (Yervoy), the first FDA-approved immune checkpoint inhibitor for metastatic melanoma.

His work has defined the field of immune checkpoint therapies, which now include drugs targeting PD-1, CTLA-4, and other pathways. Current research aims to optimize combination therapies and identify new targets for cancer immunotherapy.

• 1982 - Discovered the T-cell antigen receptor complex protein
• 1996 - Demonstrated CTLA-4 blockade enhances anti-tumor immunity
• 2011 - FDA approval of ipilimumab for melanoma

Allison’s scientific contributions have been recognized with over a dozen prestigious awards, including the Nobel Prize (2018), Breakthrough Prize (2014), Lasker-DeBakey Award (2015), and Wolf Prize (2017). He is a member of the National Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Medicine, and fellow of the American Academy of Microbiology.

At MD Anderson, Allison leads the Immunotherapy Platform under the Moon Shots Program™, collaborating with the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy to advance personalized cancer treatments. His lab continues to explore the basic science of immune responses and improve clinical outcomes through novel therapeutic strategies.