DUNN Lab
Our focus
Using proprietary platform capabilities, our mission is the de novo discovery and development (research-to-GMP) of immunoglobulins of high potential therapeutic interest that can be exploited for the clinical targeting of solid tumors and cancer-related disease processes.
Our projects
- We are developing approaches for the efficient and effective isolation and optimization of fully human ‘warhead’ binder molecules using phage-display library technology. We constantly ask how best to design and construct such libraries and to subsequently select, screen and rank binders for downstream applications.
- In addition to fully in vitro discovery, we ask whether native immunoglobulins produced by tumor infiltrating B cells represent good starting points for the development of functional anti-tumor molecules.
- We have established a pipeline of novel CAR/BiTE-compatible molecules for downstream experimental evaluation and clinical translation.
- We are investigating the utility of an engineered non-TCR immunoglobulin scaffold for the stringent and selective targeting of therapeutically disease-relevant pMHC complexes In parallel, we are using proprietary in vitro display technology to investigate the physical basis of TCR:pMHC recognition and to explore how we might best mitigate the potential for undesirable cross-reactivity of pMHC targeting agents.
- We support the advancement of existing global LCR therapeutic monoclonal antibody candidates by conducting directed optimization and humanization studies. Current examples are two potential ‘best-in-class’ humanized anti-TGFb mAbs with exquisite selectivity for discrete TGFb isoforms.
- We have established a significant program for the discovery and collaborative development of novel TEM1-targeting antibodies and their fragments. These are being evaluated in T cell redirection studies as BiTE©sand CARS, and also for their potential suitability in nuclear medicine and tumor imaging.
KEY PUBLICATIONS

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Delage J.A., Faivre-Chauvet A, Fierle JK, Gnesin S, Schaefer N, Coukos G, Dunn SM, Viertl D, Prior JO. 177Lu radiolabeling and preclinical theranostic study of 1C1m-Fc: an anti-TEM-1 scFv-Fc fusion protein in soft tissue sarcoma. EJNMMI research, 10(1):98 (2020)
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Fierle JK, Abram-Saliba J, Brioschi M, deTiani M, Coukos G, Dunn SM. Integrating SpyCatcher/SpyTag covalent fusion technology into phage display workflows for rapid antibody discovery. Scientific reports, 9 (1):12815 (2019)
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Nathaniel Liddy, Giovanna Bossi, Katherine J Adams, Anna Lissina, Tara M Mahon, Namir J Hassan, Jessie Gavarret, Frayne C Bianchi, Nicholas J Pumphrey, Kristin Ladell, Emma Gostick, Andrew K Sewell, Nikolai M Lissin, Naomi E Harwood, Peter E Molloy,Yi Li, Brian J Cameron, Malkit Sami, Emma E Baston, Penio T Todorov, Samantha J Paston, Rebecca E Dennis, Jane V Harper, Steven M Dunn, Rebecca Ashfield, Andy Johnson, Yvonne McGrath, Gabriela Plesa, Carl H June, Michael Kalos, David A Price, Annelise Vuidepot, Daniel D Williams, Deborah H Sutton & Bent K Jakobsen. Monoclonal TCR-redirected tumour cell killing. Nature Medicine,18 : 980-987 (2012)
Meet all the Dunn Group members.