Prof. Gideon Gross

Prof. Gideon Gross
Associate professor
Principal investigator
Research Group Leader
PhD
Phone
97246953554
972-4-6944980

We develop new genes for the immunotherapy of human diseases. In the late 80's, together with Z. Eshhar at the Weizmann Institute of Science, I created the first chimeric antigen receptors (CARs), demonstrating that it is possible to genetically redirect T cell specificity at will. In the past several years anti-tumor CARs produce excellent clinical results. In Dec. 2013 Science magazine selected the field of cancer immunotherapy and CARs as 'Breakthrough of the year'. Undoubtedly, the use of genes for immunotherapy has gained great appreciation in recent years.
We have created genes for boosting the tumor-killing ability of T cells employed in different approaches for cancer therapy, such as CARs and tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs). Indeed, in all experiments we performed so far these genetic adjuvants exerted multiple effects of exceptional magnitude on human T cells, including anti-melanoma TILs.
Redirecting T cell specificity at will through genetic engineering is the theme of additional two studies in our lab. In autoimmune, or type 1 diabetes (T1D) we selectively immunotarget pathogenic T cells, obtaining good results in a mouse model for the disease. In inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) we aim at reprogramming 'regulatory' T cells to act selectively at the inflamed gut tissue and suppress the ongoing immune response.
In the field of cancer vaccines we take advantage of a new genetic platform we created which allows the robust priming of anti-tumor T cells into becoming potent killers of tumor cells. Studying two mouse model systems for melanoma we recently demonstrated that our vaccines confer tumor protection and lead to tumor regression.
In a more 'basic science' orientation we are exploring the contribution of a fundamental quality control process functioning in all cells of our body to the immunological identity of the cells.

CV

Education
Ph.D. 1990, Chemical Immunology, Weizmann Institute of Science
M.Sc. 1986, Chemical Immunology, Weizmann Institute of Science

Academic and research experience
1991: research fellow, the National Cancer Institute (NCI) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in Maryland, USA.
1991-1993: post-doctoral fellow, the Laboratory of Molecular Biology of the Medical Research Council (MRC), Cambridge, UK.
1993-1995: MIGAL, research associate
1995-present: MIGAL, Head of the Immunology Lab
1995-present: faculty member, Tel-Hai College
2003: research associate, Stanford University School of Medicine
2009: associate professor in life sciences, Tel Hai College
2005-2010: Head of the Biotechnology Dept., Tel Hai College
2010-2014: Dean of the Faculty of Sciences & Technology ,Tel Hai College

Honors and awards

Genetic reprogramming of T cells for targeted delivery of new therapeutics to the tumor site, German-Israeli Foundation for Scientific Research & Development (GIF)
Genetically-modified T cells for the protection of regenerated β-cells in type 1 diabetes, BIRAX (The Britain Israeli Research and Academic Exchange Partnership Regenerative Medicine Initiative)
Enhancing T cell reactivity in adoptive cell therapy of cancer ICA (Israel Cancer Association)
New genes for improving adoptive cell therapy of melanoma with tumor infiltrating lymphocytes, ISF (Israel Science Foundation)
Selective immunotargeting of pathogenic CD8 T cells of type 1 diabetes patients by genetically engineered autologous T cells Adm. for Biomedical Research in the Galilee
Redirecting regulatory T cells against diabetogenic T cells, ISF-JDRF (Juvenile)

Scientific Publications

Development and large-scale use of recombinant VP2 vaccine for the prevention of infectious bursal disease of chickens

J. Pitcovski; B. Gutter; G. Gallili; M. Goldway; B. Perelman; G. Gross; S. Krispel; M. Barbakov; A. Michael
Vaccine 2003 Volume 21 Issue 32 Pages 4736-4743
2003

In-cell generation of antibody single-chain Fv transcripts by targeted RNA trans-splicing

J. Schlesinger; D. Arama; H. Noy; M. Dagash; P. Belinky; G. Gross
Journal of Immunological Methods 2003 Volume 282 Pages 175-186
2003

The mapping and reconstitution of a conformational discontinuous B-cell epitope of HIV-1

D. Enshell-Seijffers; D. Denisov; B. Groisman; L. Smelyanski; R. Meyuhas; G. Gross; G. Denisova; J. M. Gershoni
Journal of Molecular Biology 2003 Volume 334 Issue 1 Pages 87-101
2003

Antibody expression from the core region of the human IgH locus reconstructed in transgenic mice using bacteriophage P1 clones

S. D. Wagner; G. Gross; G. P. Cook; S. L. Davies; M. S. Neuberger
Genomics 1996 Volume 35 Issue 3 Pages 405-414
1996

The T-body approach: Potential for cancer immunotherapy

Z. Eshhar; N. Bach; C. J. Fitzer-Attas; G. Gross; J. Lustgarten; T. Waks; D. G. Schindler
Springer Seminars in Immunopathology 1996 Volume 18 Issue 2 Pages 199-209
1996

Chimaeric T-cell receptors specific to a B-lymphoma idiotype: A model for tumour immunotherapy

G. Gross; S. Levy; R. Levy; T. Waks; Z. Eshhar
Biochemical Society Transactions 1995 Volume 23 Issue 4 Pages 1079-1082
1995

T-bodies: Chimeric T-cell receptors with antibody-type specificity

Z. Eshhar; G. Gross; T. Waks; J. Lustgarten; N. Bach; A. Ratner; J. Treisman; D. G. Schindler
Methods: A Companion to Methods in Enzymology 1995 Volume 8 Issue 2 Pages 133-142
1995

Lysis of ovarian cancer cells by human lymphocytes redirected with a chimeric gene composed of an antibody variable region and the Fc receptor γ chain

P. Hwu; G. E. Shafer; J. Treisman; D. G. Schindler; G. Gross; R. Cowherd; S. A. Rosenberg; Z. Eshhar
Journal of Experimental Medicine 1993 Volume 178 Issue 1 Pages 361-366
1993

Modifying the specificity of T cells using chimeric Ig/TCR genes.

Eshhar, Z., Gross G. & Treisman J
In Tumour Immunobiology: A Practical Approach ,1993, G. Gallagher, R. C. Rees & C. W. Reynolds, Ed. ,Oxford University Press , Pages 345-368.
1993

Specific activation and targeting of cytotoxic lymphocytes through chimeric single chains consisting of antibody-binding domains and the γ or ζ subunits of the immunoglobulin and T-cell receptors

Z. Eshhar; T. Waks; G. Gross; D. G. Schindler
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 1993 Volume 90 Issue 2 Pages 720-724
1993

Anti-leucocyte function-associated antigen-1 antibodies inhibit T-cell activation following low-avidity and adhesion-independent interactions

G. Gorochov; G. Gross; T. Waks; Z. Eshhar
Immunology 1993 Volume 79 Issue 4 Pages 548-555
1993

Endowing T cells with antibody specificity using chimeric T cell receptors

G. Gross; Z. Eshhar
FASEB Journal 1992 Volume 6 Issue 15 Pages 3370-3378
1992

Functional assembly of chimeric T-cell receptor chains

G. Gorochov; J. Lustgarten; T. Waks; G. Gross; Z. Eshhar
International Journal of Cancer 1992 Issue SUPPL. 7 Pages 53-57
1992

Chimeric T cell receptor which incorporates the anti-tumour specificity of a monoclonal antibody with the cytolytic activity of T cells: a model system for immunotherapeutical approach

Z. Eshhar; G. Gross
The British journal of cancer. Supplement 1990 Volume 10 Pages 27-29
1990

Expression of chimeric antibody/T cell receptor genes as functional receptor molecules in human and mouse T cells.

Gorochov, G., Gross, G., Waks, T. & Eshhar, Z.
Wiley-Liss Inc. New York, N.Y. ,1990
1990

Generation of effector T cells expressing chimeric T cell receptor with antibody type-specificity

G. Gross; G. Gorochov; T. Waks; Z. Eshhar
Transplantation Proceedings 1989 Volume 21 Issue 1 I Pages 127-130
1989

Expression of immunoglobulin-T-cell receptor chimeric molecules as functional receptors with antibody-type specificity

G. Gross; T. Waks; Z. Eshhar
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 1989 Volume 86 Issue 24 Pages 10024-10028
1989

Functional expression of a chimeric T cell receptor with an antibody binding site.

Gross, G., Waks, T. & Eshhar, Z.
Alan R. Liss Inc. New York, USA ,1989
1989

Promoter and enhancer elements in the rearranged alpha chain gene of the human T cell receptor

S. Luria; G. Gross; M. Horowitz; D. Givol
EMBO Journal 1987 Volume 6 Issue 11 Pages 3307-3312
1987

Messenger RNA-transfected dendritic cells expressing polypeptides that link MHC-I presentation to constitutive TLR4 activation confer tumor immunity

Cafri, G., Sharbi-Yunger, A., Tzehoval, E., Alteber, Z., Gross, T., Vadai, E., Margalit, A., Gross G.
Mol. Ther. Volume 23 Pages 1391?400