Research Expertise and Interest

immunology, cancer, tumor immunity, immune responses, chronic inflammation and cancer, tumor biology, epigenetics

Research Description

The DuPage lab is focused on examining the interface of the immune system and cancer. We intersect the fields of cancer biology, immunology, and epigenetics with the goal to strengthen our own immune defense mechanisms against our own cancers. To do this, we aim to establish a new paradigm for augmenting immune responses against cancer by uncovering and subsequently targeting mechanisms that control T cell programming within the tumor microenvironment. We have already identified key intracellular pathways, both signaling cascades and epigenetic enzymes, that when targeted, selectively reprogram intratumoral Tregulatory cell function to enhance anti-cancer immunity while simultaneously minimizing autoimmune toxicity. Our approach utilizes sophisticated genetic tools to modify T cells and tumor cells in the context of the most advanced pre-clinical cancer models of the human disease.