Described herein is a method of treating a disorder, the method comprising: administering to a subject in need thereof a composition that contains a population of somatic stem cells that are 0.3-6.0 micrometers in size and CD9+, CD349+, CD133−, CD90−, CD34−, SSEA1+, SSEA4+, CD13+, or Stro1+, wherein the disorder is hair loss, osteoporosis, or a damaged tissue.

The invention concerns a method of generating an immune response in a subject, comprising administering to the subject an antigenic molecule, a photosensitizing agent, a checkpoint inhibitor, and irradiating said subject with light of a wavelength effective to activate the photosensitizing agent to generate an immune response. Preferably the method is a method of vaccination. The invention also provides related methods, compositions, cells, uses, products and kits.

The present invention provides compositions and methods for treating cancer.

Disclosed herein is a different and novel approach to cancer vaccines using a subject's own dendritic cells (DCs) and macrophages (Mphs) in combination to present cancer antigens to the immune system. Further disclosed are methods of producing monocyte-derived autologous DCs and Mphs loaded ex vivo with particular whole irradiated cancer cells which generates optimally activated immunostimulatory antigen-presenting cells (APCs) as a superior method for stimulating robust and long-lasting immunity to a particular cancer in vivo as compared with more traditional vaccination methods. Compositions, methods of use and methods for preparation of these DCs and Mphs with cancer cells are also disclosed herein.

Peptides have immune system modulation properties. The immunologically active peptides can be derived from the heavy-chain complementarity determining region-3 of a humanized monoclonal antibody to NaPi2B transporter. Such peptides can be used to modulate the immune system of a subject under cancer treatment.

Among the various aspects of the present disclosure is the provision of methods, synthetic DC, and compositions for T cell activation. The present disclosure provides for synthetic dendritic cells (DCs), methods of generating synthetic dendritic cells (DCs), methods of generating T cell-encapsulated gelatin microspheres and microcapsules, methods of activating T cells using synthetic DCs, methods for expanding T cells against individualized antigen-specific mutational antigens using synthetic DCs, and methods of treating a chronic disease (e.g., HIV, HPV) or cancer using the synthetic DCs.

Compositions comprising aptamers, and methods of thereof as carrier molecules in cell-mediated immunotherapies, and activation of antigen-specific T-cell responses.

Allowing secure access to a computer system includes receiving an online access request from a user, selecting a dendritic identifier, associating selected information received in the online access request with the dendritic identifier, and providing the dendritic identifier to the user. Providing the dendritic identifier to the user can include sending (e.g., physically sending) the dendritic identifier to the user. Allowing secure access to the computer system can further include receiving information related to the dendritic identifier from the user, assessing the authenticity of the dendritic identifier based on the information received from the user, and if the authenticity of the dendritic identifier is verified, allowing the user access to the computer system.

The present invention it was determined that dendritic cells could be derived from various sources including peripheral blood monocytes in the presence of only GM-CSF without other cytokines if the monocytes were not activated. By preventing activation, such as by preventing binding of the cells to the surface of the culture vessel, the monocytes do not require the presence of additional cytokines, such as IL-4 or IL-13, to prevent differentiation into a non-dendritic cell lineage. The immature DCs generated and maintained in this manner were CD14.sup.− and expressed high levels of CD1a. Upon maturation by contact with an agent such as, for example, BCG and IFNγ, the cells were determined to express surface molecules typical of mature dendritic cells purified by prior methods and cultured in the presence of GM-CSF and IL-4. The mature dendritic cells produced from monocytes without activation and cultured in GM-CSF alone are suitable for use in dendritic cell-based immunotherapy methods, such as for use in the treatment of disease, including cancer.

Provided is a method of treating a cancer in an individual using activated T cells or PBMCs induced by antigen presenting cells (such as dendritic cells) loaded with a plurality of tumor antigen peptides. The method may further comprise administration of the antigen presenting cells loaded with the plurality of tumor antigen peptides to the individual. The methods may be used singly or in combination with an immune checkpoint inhibitor. Also provided are precision therapy methods customized for the individual using neoantigen peptides or based on the mutation load in the tumor of the individual, methods of preparing the activated T cells, methods of monitoring the treatment, methods of cloning tumor-specific T cell receptors, an isolated population of cells comprising the activated T cells, and compositions and kits useful for cancer immunotherapy.