Katarzyna (Kasia) A. Rejniak (PI)
Shari Pilon-Thomas (PI), Moffitt
Michael Poch (PI), Moffitt
Mehdi Damaghi (PI), Stony Brooks
*Project immuno-Oncology in bladder cancer
The adoptive immunotherapy with intravesical delivery of autologous tumor-infiltrating T lymphocytes (TIL) has the potential to improve clinical outcomes in patients with bladder cancer.
We will develop and validate an in silico model incorporating tumors microenvironment in order to predict which patients will benefit from TIL therapy. This will be done in parallel with a Phase I/II clinical trial to evaluate the safety and feasibility of intravesical delivery of TIL in patients with bladder cancer; and with experimental studies to define antigens recognized by TIL in bladder tumors. Both experimental and clinical studies will provide data for model development and validation. | ![]() |
The first step in upstaging of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) to invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) is manifested as microinvasions, that is cohorts of cells that breach the basement membrane and penetrate into the surrounding tissue. Our goal is to test whether emergence of reactive stroma is a pre-requisite for initiation of microinvasions and involves metabolic reprogramming of stromal cells.
We will develop an integrated computational-experimental approach to (i) stratify the impact of tumor-derived metabolic conditions on stromal activation; (ii) assess the role of reactive stroma in promoting microinvasions in DCIS; and (iii) evaluate reactive stroma signatures in DCIS histology. | ![]() |