Basis of Presentation and Significant Accounting Policies (Details) - USD ($)	1 Months Ended				3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jan. 19, 2018	Oct. 31, 2017	May 31, 2017	Jun. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2017	Dec. 31, 2017
Noncontrolling Interest [Line Items]
Accumulated deficit					$ 76,423,163		$ 76,423,163		$ 68,846,326
Net loss					4,050,071	$ 3,218,915	7,576,837	$ 6,408,853
Revenue					1,143,177	411,250	1,895,704	435,490
Non-controlling interest					196,734	90,166	403,195	140,956
Reimbursable funds							15,200,000
Unearned revenue liability balance							3,400,000
Removal of changes in restricted cash from Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows due to adoption of ASU 2016-18							1,122	98,879
Reverse stock split	When the reverse stock split became effective, every 10 shares of our issued and outstanding common stock were combined into one share of common stock. Effecting the reverse stock split reduced the number of issued and outstanding common stock from approximately 42 million shares to approximately 4.2 million.
Proceeds from financings							18,800,000
Proceeds from exercise of warrants							$ 4,838,593
Number of warrant exercised							3,054,667
Proceeds from deferred revenue							$ 4,900,000
Grant received for preclinical activities from CPRIT							200,000
Deferred revenue balance from CPRIT					5,100,000		5,100,000
Grant Revenue [Member]
Noncontrolling Interest [Line Items]
Revenue					$ 1,100,000	$ 400,000	1,900,000	$ 400,000
Heat Biologics I, Inc. [Member]
Noncontrolling Interest [Line Items]
Ownership interest in subsidiary									92.50%
Non-controlling interest							161,994
Pelican Therapeutics, Inc. [Member]
Noncontrolling Interest [Line Items]
Net loss							$ (1,200,000)
Percentage of voting interests acquired in acquisition					80.00%	80.00%	80.00%	80.00%
Revenue							$ 800,000
Non-controlling interest							241,201
Contract value							7,600,000
Pelican Therapeutics, Inc. [Member] | Grant Revenue [Member]
Noncontrolling Interest [Line Items]
Revenue				$ 15,200,000			$ 1,900,000
Pelican Therapeutics, Inc. [Member] | Second tranche [Member] | Grant Revenue [Member]
Noncontrolling Interest [Line Items]
Revenue		$ 6,500,000
Pelican Therapeutics, Inc. [Member] | First tranche [Member] | Grant Revenue [Member]
Noncontrolling Interest [Line Items]
Revenue			$ 1,800,000