Gilead’s Olivier Nolan-Stevaux finds inspiration from nature for his professional work in oncology. While working on his property he recognized that healthy ecosystems stay in balance – which is what he’s striving to achieve with his cancer research in the lab.  

“Restoring balance is essential in both nature and science. Even the loss of a single species can disrupt the equilibrium and collapse the ecosystem,” explains Olivier, Senior Director, Oncology Research at Gilead.  

Olivier finds the same thing is true with uncontrolled tumor growth. “Cancer cells produce a very toxic environment around themselves, which is in part how they resist the immune system,” he says.  

To address this, Gilead and Kite Oncology have developed a Scientific Framework to bring oncology therapeutics to patients. The team’s work is guided by three pillars – or three biological approaches to target cancers. The first pillar focuses on killing the cancer cells from within. The second focuses on engaging the immune system to fight cancer. And the third pillar works to disrupt the conditions which allow cancer to grow. 

This approach leverages years of Gilead’s research in combination therapies to achieve stronger, longer-lasting responses, aiming to not only treat cancer but also to alter its surrounding environment. 

“When I think about the word restoring, whether it's in the land, or in the lab, I think about bringing harmony back,” says Olivier.

Watch the video to learn more about Gilead and Kite’s research framework in oncology.