A 91视频 biology student played a pivotal role in a groundbreaking discovery by researchers at MD Anderson Cancer Center: the COVID vaccine can enhance the effectiveness of immunotherapy treatments, offering new hope to cancer patients worldwide.
In a at the 2025 European Society for Medical Oncology Congress, researchers revealed patients who received mRNA-based COVID vaccines within 100 days of starting immunotherapy were twice as likely to be alive three years after treatment as those who didn鈥檛 receive the vaccine.
鈥淭his study demonstrates that commercially available mRNA COVID vaccines can train patients鈥� immune systems to eliminate cancer,鈥� said Adam Grippin, M.D., Ph.D., senior resident in radiation oncology at MD Anderson and co-author of the study. 鈥淲hen combined with immune checkpoint inhibitors, these vaccines produce powerful antitumor immune responses that are associated with massive improvements in survival for patients with cancer.鈥�
Transformational Discovery
Cole Woody, a junior biology major from Sugar Land whose research at the , under the direction of his mentor, Dr. Preethi Gunaratne, focuses on the development of potential cancer vaccines through chimeric RNAs 鈥� and, more specifically, how cancers can be more aggressively targeted by a vaccine 鈥� was already working in the lab at MD Anderson when Grippin asked him to join his team.
Woody was tasked with helping to validate the team鈥檚 hypothesis by demonstrating that there was a significant increase in cancer-targeting T cells 鈥� the immune cells responsible for recognizing and destroying tumors 鈥� following vaccination. To confirm the findings, he designed and used custom antibodies to detect cancer-specific T cells, a critical step in demonstrating how the vaccine strengthens the body鈥檚 immune response to treatment.
鈥淲e saw a very noticeable increase in antigen-specific T cell populations in the vaccinated group,鈥� Woody said. 鈥淚t was the kind of result you hope for in research 鈥� clear, measurable evidence that could one day help improve patient outcomes.鈥�
The discovery could be a game-changer as it points to the possibility that widely available, low-cost vaccines have the potential to dramatically improve the effectiveness of certain immune therapies.
While this study focused on two types of cancer, Woody says the positive impact could be much wider.
鈥淲e鈥檙e trying to understand which cancer types are seeing the biggest benefit 鈥� is it just non-small cell lung cancer and melanoma, or can this apply to other cancers with similar immune evasion mechanisms? If we can extend this to a broader patient population, that would be phenomenal.鈥�
鈥擴H biology major Cole Woody
Rising Research Powerhouse
Being a part of this transformational research is yet another milestone in what has already been a remarkable year for Woody, who earned both the Barry Goldwater Scholarship and the Phi Beta Kappa Key into Public Service 鈥� two of the nation鈥檚 most prestigious academic honors.
鈥淐ole Woody is yet another example of the exceptional students at the University of Houston,鈥� said Diane Chase, UH senior vice president for academic affairs and provost. 鈥淗is passion for research, science and community service have earned him prestigious accolades. Now, he is contributing his talents to groundbreaking discoveries alongside MD Anderson researchers. We鈥檙e proud of his accomplishments and look forward to his further successes as a student, scholar and scientist.鈥�
It also furthers UH鈥檚 emergence as a global leader in health and biomedical research, where students are provided with unmatched opportunities to engage in cutting-edge science 鈥� opportunities that Woody says are key to his success.
鈥淭he 91视频 is unique in the way it鈥檚 positioned within Houston 鈥� you鈥檙e so close to the world鈥檚 largest medical center and having that proximity to interact with the labs there is a huge resource for students,鈥� Woody said. 鈥淏ut UH also gives you a strong foundation in research. I wouldn鈥檛 have been able to succeed at MD Anderson or places like NIH or Harvard without the training I received here.鈥�
