Overview
I am a physician-scientist with a background in medical oncology and neuro-oncology, with affiliations to multiple departments, research, and training programs at Duke.
I lead a Tumor Immunobiology Laboratory where we use various wet and dry lab techniques to understand the interactions between tumors and the immune system. Our goal is to identify vulnerabilities that can be targeted for novel therapies.
I serve as the Deputy Director of the Center for Cancer Immunotherapy at the Duke Cancer Institute where we are tasked to facilitate clinical research and translate promising discoveries made by scientists across various departments and cancer types at Duke, particularly in the field of immune and T cell-based therapies.
My team and our laboratory operate in an environment that enables the transition from bench-side basic scientific discoveries to clinical trials, and back to the bench ensuring the evaluation of new treatments for cancer patients.
Current Appointments & Affiliations
In the News
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Recent Publications
A Spatial Multi-Omic Framework Identifies Gliomas Permissive to TIL Expansion.
Journal Article Res Sq · April 25, 2025 Tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) therapy, recently approved by the FDA for melanoma, is an emerging modality for cell-based immunotherapy. However, its application in immunologically "cold" tumors such as glioblastoma remains limited due to sparse T cel ... Full text Link to item CiteKL-50: A novel therapeutic agent targeting MGMT-deficient glioblastoma.
Journal Article Neuro Oncol · March 7, 2025 Full text Link to item CiteNeoadjuvant triplet immune checkpoint blockade in newly diagnosed glioblastoma.
Journal Article Nat Med · February 27, 2025 Glioblastoma (GBM) is an aggressive primary adult brain tumor that rapidly recurs after standard-of-care treatments, including surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy. While immune checkpoint inhibitor therapies have transformed outcomes in many tumor types ... Full text Link to item CiteRecent Grants
Glioblastoma Immunotherapy Advancement with Nivolumab and Relatlimab
Clinical TrialPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Bristol-Myers Squibb Company · 2024 - 2029A Phase 2, multicenter, open label, two parts clinical study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of AB-218 in patients with isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 (IDH1) mutant glioma
Clinical TrialPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by AnHeart Therapeutics, Inc. · 2023 - 2028NUTMEG Tissue Analysis
ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by University of Sydney · 2022 - 2028View All Grants