The present invention provides for the purposeful utilisation of the induction of senescence in eukaryotic cells for induction of an antigen specific immune response. Such cells can be normal cells, pre-malignant and malignant cells as well as virally or bacterially infected cells, for the generation of an immune response, preferably a cellular or humoral immune response comprising T-cells and/or B-cells, whose immune response is directed specifically against antigens from those cells in which senescence was induced and then comprises an immune response against the senescent cells itself as well as to the non-senescent counterparts harbouring the same antigens.