The role of autophagy in the development and function of
 tumor-associated macrophages

Tumor-associated macrophages (TAM) play important roles in the growth and invasion of tumors, therefore, targeting molecular pathways regulating the development and function of TAM holds great potential for anti-cancer therapy. Autophagy (“self-eating”) is an intracellular self-degradation pathway that is important for the homeostasis and differentiation of cells. The role of autophagy in tumor progression is multifaceted and can function as both tumor suppressor and tumor promoter, depending on the context of tumor microenvironment. The goal of this proposal is to investigate the role of autophagy in the functional differentiation of TAM and its subsequent effect on tumor progression. Elucidating such role of autophagy in TAM function will lead to a better understanding of the role of autophagy in systemic cancer progression and better potential for developing effective immune-system-based anti-cancer therapy.