Perturbing and Reconstructing Multicellular Networks in Cancer

Immunotherapy has revolutionized cancer care, but most patients don’t respond to and those who do frequently relapse. Currently, many immunotherapies focus on T cells because they can kill tumor cells. New technologies enable researchers to measure T cell encounters with other cells in the tumor microenvironment. These interactions likely alter T cell state and capacity to kill tumor.

Dr. Chen will use his Young Investigator Award to investigate how multicellular interactions within the tumor microenvironment shape T cell state. He will use profiling of human tumors and perturbational systems to understand the organization of these networks, their dynamic nature, and the molecular pathways that govern them. This work is intended to identify targets that will make immunotherapy more effective for more patients in potentially multiple types of cancer.

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