Pierre van der Bruggen

Pierre van der Bruggen performed the molecular cloning of MAGE-1, the first gene encoding a human tumor antigen recognized by cytotoxic T lymphocytes, in collaboration with Thierry Boon, providing the definitive molecular proof that T cells recognize cancer-specific peptides presented by MHC molecules. This 1991 breakthrough in Science opened the era of molecular tumor immunology and cancer antigen-based vaccine development. He subsequently identified additional MAGE family members and other cancer-testis antigens. His molecular biology work provided the tools and targets that enabled decades of cancer vaccine research and the modern understanding of anti-tumor T cell specificity.