Fundamental aspects of vaccine design include defining the optimal antigenic target and providing effective and durable costimulation. Antigens may be administered in the form of individual peptides, proteins, or whole tumor cells derived DNA, RNA, cell lysate, administered alone or in conjunction with adjuvants. These vaccines rely on native antigen-presenting cells to uptake and present antigen to effector cell populations. Alternatively, vaccines can be generated by loading antigens onto ex vivo–generated DCs to overcome phenotypic and functional deficiencies of native antigen-presenting cells in patients with malignancy. GVAX, gene-transduced tumor cell vaccine.