This program's focus is on cancer epigenetics and RNA metabolism, immune cell functions that regulate tumor progression, and the role of the tumor microenvironment on inflammation.
The Cancer Biology & Immunology Research Program at MUSC Hollings Cancer Center aims to:
The most promising discoveries are advanced to preclinical studies and moved into clinical trials. The process is an interactive one that involves close collaboration between the Cancer Biology & Immunology Program, the Developmental Cancer Therapeutics Program, and the Hollings scientific community as a whole. This is realized through a multi-level approach that integrates monthly program meetings, theme-specific journal clubs, program-specific seminars, Transdisciplinary Cancer Teams (TCTs), shared resources including the Translational Science Laboratory (TSL), Biostatistics and Flow Cytometry and Cell Sorting, and a formalized translational pipeline.
Hollings' pilot funding mechanisms support junior investigators, team-science initiatives, emerging technologies and state-of-the-art equipment, as well as targeted recruitment of faculty to enhance intra- and inter-programmatic research. National Cancer Institute and Hollings-supported training programs also support graduate and postdoctoral scholars.
The Cancer Biology & Immunology Research Program membership consists of 48 basic and clinical scientists drawn from 11 departments distributed across two colleges (College of Medicine and College of Dental Medicine).
Investigation and development focuses on the following specific aims:
Academic Focus: TGFβ and RNA proteins and their regulation of tumor progression ”Prof. Howe’s Profile open_in_new
Academic Focus: Targeting T-cell signaling and metabolic pathways to improve adoptive T-cell therapy for cancer ”Prof. Mehrotra’s Profile open_in_new
Academic Focus: Understanding the mechanisms that regulate anti-cancer functions of immune cells and immune tolerance ”Prof. Paczesny’s Profile open_in_new
