Abstract: The disclosure is directed to bispecific affinity reagents, e.g., fusion proteins, that specifically bind to CD45 and radioactive ligands. The disclosure also addresses methods of use of the bispecific affinity reagents to specifically target cells with aberrant CD45 expression for therapy.

Abstract: A method of carrying out adoptive immunotherapy by administering a subject an antigen-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) preparation in a treatment-effective amount is described. In the method, the CTL preparation is preferably administered as a preparation of an in vitro antigen-stimulated and expanded primate CTL population, the CTL population: (i) depleted of FoxP3+ T lymphocytes prior to antigen stimulation, (ii) antigen-stimulated in vitro in the presence of interleukin-21; or (iii) both depleted of FoxP3+ T lymphocytes prior to antigen stimulation and then antigen-stimulated in vitro in the presence of interleukin-21. Methods of preparing such compositions, and compositions useful for carrying out the adoptive immunotherapy, are also described.

Abstract: Peptides that home, target, migrate to, are directed to, are retained by, or accumulate in and/or binds to the cartilage of a subject are disclosed. Pharmaceutical compositions and uses for peptides or peptide-active agent complexes comprising such peptides are also disclosed. Such compositions can be formulated for targeted delivery of a drug to a target region, tissue, structure or cell in the cartilage. Targeted compositions of the disclosure can deliver peptide or peptide-active agent complexes to target regions, tissues, structures or cells targeted by the peptide.

Abstract: Circular handed alpha-helical repeat proteins are described. The repeat proteins have a number of uses as scaffolds for geometrically precise, arrayed presentation of cell-signaling or immune-related protein and peptide epitopes, as well as numerous other therapeutic, diagnostic, and nanotechnological uses.

Abstract: Methods of monitoring and measuring dynamic adaptive immune cell responses are provided. High-throughput sequencing of T cell receptor and immunoglobulin loci is used to characterize the breadth of an effector cell response to a stimulus, such as a vaccine or infection. Unique responding effector cell clones and abundance thereof can be determined. Additionally, methods for determining the contribution of responding effector cells to the immunological memory compartment are provided.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods and compositions to confer and/or augment immune responses mediated by cellular immunotherapy, such as by adoptively transferring genetically modified tumor specific CD8+ T cells in the presence of tumor-specific, subset specific genetically modified CD4+ T cells, wherein the CD4+ T cells confer and/or augment a CD8+ T cells ability to sustain anti-tumor reactivity and increase and/or maximize tumor-specific proliferation of the tumor-specific CD8+ T cells of interest. Pharmaceutical formulations produced by the method, and methods of using the same, are also described.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a panel of nucleic acid molecule primers specific for HLA-specific alleles and other genetic polymorphisms, which are useful for quantitatively amplifying these markers to detect, diagnose, and monitor individuals who have or are at risk of certain disease conditions, such as autoimmune disease, proliferative disease, infectious disease, allograft rejection, or pregnancy-related pathologies.

Abstract: Systems and methods to genetically modify B cells to express selected antibodies are described. The systems and methods can be used to: obviate the need for classical vaccinations; provide protection against infectious agents for which no vaccinations are currently available; provide protection against infectious agents when patients are otherwise immune-suppressed; and/or provide a benefit provided by a therapeutic antibody, such as in the treatment of autoimmune disorders.

Abstract: In one aspect, the invention provides a method of screening a human subject to determine if said subject has a genetic predisposition to develop, or is suffering from Facioscapulohumeral Dystrophy (FSHD), said method comprising: (a) providing a biological sample comprising genomic DNA from the subject; and (b) analyzing the portion of the genomic DNA in the sample corresponding to the distal D4Z4-pLAM region on chromosome 4 and determining the presence or absence of a polymorphism resulting in a functional polyadenylation sequence operationally linked to exon 3 of the DUX4 gene.

Abstract: Methods to create chemically-induced dimerizing (CID) protein systems and uses thereof are described. The methods utilize antibody binding domain dimerizing proteins. The created systems can be used to regulate cellular events such as gene expression, receptor signaling and cell death to effectuate a variety of clinically relevant treatment outcomes.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to tagged chimeric effector molecules and receptor molecules thereof for genetically engineering a host cell, wherein the recombinant host cell can be identified, isolated, sorted, induced to proliferate, tracked or eliminated. For example, a T cell may be recombinantly modified for use in adoptive immunotherapy.

Abstract: Methods are provided for predicting a subject's infection status using high-throughput T cell receptor sequencing to match the subject's TCR repertoire to a known set of disease-associated T cell receptor sequences. The methods of the present invention may be used to predict the status of several infectious agents in a single sample from a subject. Methods are also provided for predicting a subject's HLA status using high-throughput immune receptor sequencing.

Abstract: Methods are provided for identifying T cell receptors that specifically bind a particular antigenic target and can be used as therapeutics against disease.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides TCRs with high or enhanced affinity against various tumor associated antigens (including human MAGE-A1 epitopes), T cells expressing such high affinity antigen-specific TCRs, nucleic acids encoding the same, and compositions for use in treating diseases or disorders in which cells overexpress one or more of these antigens, such as in cancer.

Abstract: Genomic safe harbors (GSH) for genetic therapies in human stem cells and engineered nanoparticles to provide targeted genetic therapies are described. The GSH and/or associated nanoparticles can be used to safely and efficiently treat a variety of genetic, infectious, and malignant diseases.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides compositions and methods for improved pre-targeted radioimmunotherapeutics (PRIT) to treat various hematological disorders, such as B cell hyperproliferative disorders and solid tumors. The disclosed compositions include bispecific antibody compositions having a first domain that specifically bind to an antigen such as CD38, BCMA, Muc1, GPRC5D, or Slam7 and a second domain that specifically binds to a radioactive ligand. Methods include administering the disclosed bispecific antibody reagent and separately administering the radioactive ligand. In some embodiments, a clearing agent is also administered. In some embodiments, the therapeutic methods comprise administering a combination of two or more bispecific antibody reagents. In some embodiments, an enhancing agent, such as ATRA, gamma secretase inhibitor, or dextramethasone, is also administered to enhance expression of the target antigen on the target cells.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides TCRs with high or enhanced affinity against various tumor associated antigens (including human Wilms tumor protein 1 (WT 1) epitopes and mesothelin epitopes), T cells expressing such high affinity antigen specific TCRs, nucleic acids encoding the same, and compositions for use in treating diseases or disorders in which cells overexpress one or more of these antigens, such as in cancer.

Abstract: Methods to create barcoded influenza viruses without disrupting the function of the viral proteins and the proper packaging of the viral genome segments are described. The barcoded influenza viruses can be used within deep mutational scanning libraries to map influenza resistance mutations to therapeutic treatments. The libraries can also be used to predict influenza strains that may become resistant to therapeutic treatments and/or more easily evolve to infect new species. The libraries include features that allow efficient collection and assessment of informative data, obviating bottlenecks of previous approaches.

Abstract: Treatment protocols based on expression of therapeutic proteins by genetically-modified selected cell types in vivo are described. The treatment protocols can additionally utilize cell attractants to attract selected cell types to a treatment site and/or macrophage activation protocols at the treatment site.

Abstract: Engineered and multimerized human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) envelope glycoproteins are described. The envelope glycoproteins can be multimerized using a heptamerization domain such as a C4b binding protein multimerization domain or a ferritin fusion. The engineered and multimerized envelope glycoproteins can derived from glycoprotein 120 (gp120) and can used as an HIV vaccine.