NK Cell Pioneer Éric Vivier to Receive 2026 William B. Coley Award and Deliver Inaugural Lecture at SITC Annual Meeting
Key Insights
The Cancer Research Institute awards the 2026 William B. Coley Award to Prof. Éric Vivier (search) for his transformative work on natural killer cell biology and antitumor immunity.
SITC and CRI launch a new annual collaboration, with Vivier delivering the inaugural Coley Award Lecture at SITC 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona, on November 8.
Vivier's three decades of NK cell research have uncovered how these innate immune cells recognize and eliminate cancer cells, fueling a new wave of NK cell therapies.
The Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (search) (SITC) and the Cancer Research Institute (CRI) have announced a new annual collaboration that will bring the prestigious CRI William B. Coley Award Lecture to the SITC Annual Meeting, beginning with the 41st edition in Phoenix, Arizona. Prof. Éric Vivier (search), DVM, PhD, a pioneer in natural killer (NK) cell research, has been named the 2026 William B. Coley Award recipient and will deliver the inaugural lecture titled "Harnessing NK Cells in Cancer Therapies" on November 8, 2026.
"The most transformative advances in cancer immunotherapy happen when the global scientific community comes together to exchange ideas and challenge one another," said Mary Dean, JD, CAE, Executive Director of SITC. "We're proud to partner with CRI to bring the prestigious William B. Coley Award Lecture to the SITC Annual Meeting as a new annual tradition."
The William B. Coley Award for Distinguished Research in Basic and Tumor Immunology, one of the highest honors in cancer immunology, recognizes researchers whose discoveries have had a lasting impact on the field. Prof. Vivier will formally receive the award on October 20, 2026, in New York, prior to delivering the Coley Lecture at SITC 2026.
Three Decades of NK Cell Discovery
Prof. Éric Vivier (search), who holds the Natural Killer (NK) Cell Chair of the Fondation Gustave Roussy (search), has spent more than thirty years elucidating the fundamental biology of NK cells—white blood cells involved in innate immunity that can rapidly detect and eliminate cancer cells while sparing healthy tissue. His research has demonstrated that NK cells also play a key role in activating other components of the immune response, particularly macrophages and T lymphocytes.
"Scientific breakthroughs begin with a deeper understanding of biology. Dr. Vivier's pioneering work taught us the fundamental biology of natural killer cells," said Alicia Zhou, PhD, CEO of CRI. "His work helped fuel a new wave of NK cell therapies that hold tremendous promise for patients."
Prof. Vivier serves as Professor of Immunology at Aix Marseille Université, hospital practitioner at Assistance Publique–Hôpitaux de Marseille (AP-HM), co-founder of the Marseille-Luminy Center of Immunology, and President of the Paris-Saclay Cancer Cluster (PSCC). At Gustave Roussy (search), he leads the Fondation Gustave Roussy NK Cell Chair, which explores the therapeutic potential of NK cells to enhance their antitumor activity and develop new strategies aimed at strengthening the immune response against cancer.
NK Cells as a Cornerstone of Modern Immunotherapy
NK cells have helped establish innate immunity as a cornerstone of modern immunotherapy and are now driving the development of new therapeutic approaches currently being evaluated in clinical trials. Unlike adaptive immune cells such as T lymphocytes, NK cells can act rapidly without prior sensitization, offering a complementary pathway for cancer cell elimination.
SITC 2026 Scientific Program
SITC 2026, the largest conference focused solely on cancer immunotherapy, will take place from November 4–8, 2026, at the Phoenix Convention Center, with virtual participation also available. Beyond the Coley Award Lecture, the meeting features a prominent lineup of keynote speakers. Ton Schumacher, PhD, from the Netherlands Cancer Institute, will present "T Cell Recognition of Human Cancer: 'Cracking the Code.'" Catherine J. Wu, MD, from the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, will receive the 2026 Richard V. Smalley Memorial Award and Lectureship, presenting "Getting Off the Rollercoaster: Personalized Cancer Vaccines Come of Age."
The partnership between SITC and CRI highlights both organizations' longstanding commitment to scientific leadership and advancing the future of immuno-oncology. CRI, established in 1953, has invested over $600 million in support of research conducted by immunologists and tumor immunologists at leading medical centers and universities worldwide, contributing to many key scientific advances demonstrating immunotherapy's potential to transform cancer treatment.