Brent A. Hanks

Investigating mechanisms of adaptive or acquired immunotherapy resistance in cancer
Studying the relationship between EMT and immunotherapy resistance
Elucidating mechanisms of dendritic cell tolerization in the tumor microenvironment and how these processes may contribute to immunotherapy resistance
Development of novel pharmacologic and genetic strategies to overcome immunotherapy resistance
Investigating mechanisms contributing to select immunotherapy-associated toxicities

Selected Grants

Understanding and targeting epigentic regulation of immune evasion in prostate cancer

ResearchCo Investigator · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2025 - 2029

Lyell LYL845 (Melanoma)

Clinical TrialPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Lyell Immunopharma, Inc. · 2025 - 2028

Characterizing and Targeting the Dendritic Cell MerTK-NR4A1 Signaling Axis to Overcome Cancer Immunotherapy Resistance

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by G. Harold & Leila Y. Mathers Foundation · 2024 - 2027

Role of mregDC-PCSK9-mediated Inhibition of DC Antigen Cross-Presentation in Tumor Immunotherapy Resistance

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by V Foundation for Cancer Research · 2024 - 2027

Medical Scientist Training Program

Inst. Training Prgm or CMEPreceptor · Awarded by National Institute of General Medical Sciences · 2022 - 2027

Role of the NLRP3-NLRC5 Signaling Pathway in Melanoma Immune Evasion and Dormancy

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Department of Defense · 2024 - 2027

Cell and Molecular Biology Training Program

Inst. Training Prgm or CMEMentor · Awarded by National Institute of General Medical Sciences · 2021 - 2026

Overcoming Anti-PD-1 Resistance in Melanoma by Targeting Immunologic Mediators of the Gli2 Pathway

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by The Melanoma Research Foundation · 2022 - 2025

Investigating the Role of a Novel Dendritic Cell Subset within Sentinel Lymph Node Tissues in Immune Evasion and Melanomagenesis

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Department of Defense · 2021 - 2025

Investigation of a Novel PD-L1:NLRP3 Inflammasome Activation Pathway as a Driver of Metastatic Recurrence

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Merck Sharp & Dohme · 2019 - 2025

Role of Tumor-mediated Innate Training in the Pathogenesis of Immune-related Adverse Events

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Cancer Research Institute · 2022 - 2025

Targeting convergent oncogenic signaling during AR inhibition to overcome metastasis and immune evasion in prostate cancer

ResearchCo-Principal Investigator · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2019 - 2025

Clinical Biomarker Study of the Tumor NLRP3 Inflammasome and its Role in Anti-PD-1 Immunotherapy Resistance

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Conquer Cancer Foundation · 2021 - 2025

HSP70-TLR4-mediated MDSC Recruitment as an Adaptive Resistance

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Merck Sharp & Dohme · 2019 - 2025

Integrated analysis of a NLRP3-dependent adaptive resistance mechanism to pembrolizumab immunotherapy in advanced gastroesophageal cancer

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Merck Sharp & Dohme · 2022 - 2025

Investigating the PD-L1:NLRP3 signaling axis as a tumor intrinsic mechanism of adaptive resistance to anti-PD-1 antibody immunotherapy

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2020 - 2025

Role of the tumor NLRP3 inflammasome in the generation of anti-PD-1 antibody immunotherapy-associated toxicities

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Cancer Institute · 2021 - 2025

A Phase 1/2, open-label study of PD-1 knockout tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (IOV-4001) in participants with unresectable or metastatic melanoma or Stage III or IV non-small-cell lung cancer

Clinical TrialPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Iovance Biotherapeutics, Inc · 2023 - 2025

The NLRP3-HSP70 Axis and Immunotherapy Resistance in Gastric Cancer

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by American Association for Cancer Research · 2023 - 2024

Duke CTSA (TL1) Year 5

Inst. Training Prgm or CMEMentor · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2018 - 2024

Tumor-derived Exosome Induction of Dendritic Cell Tolerization

FellowshipPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2020 - 2023

Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp. Study Agreement

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Merck · 2015 - 2023

T32 UNC - Duke Immunotherapy Training Program

Inst. Training Prgm or CMEPreceptor · Awarded by University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill · 2021 - 2022

Targeting the p38/Snail/PD-L1 axis in hormone-therapy resistance and metastasis

ResearchCo Investigator · Awarded by Department of Defense · 2018 - 2022

Investigating the Role of EMT-mediated Dendritic Cell Tolerization in Checkpoint Inhibitor Resistance

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation · 2018 - 2022

Investigating the Immunotherapeutic Properties of the DKK1 Antibody, DKN-01, in Pre-Clinical Models of Melanoma

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Leap Therapeutics, Inc. · 2018 - 2022

MERKLIN-2

Clinical TrialPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by 4SC · 2020 - 2022

Exicure AST-008-102

Clinical TrialPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Exicure, Inc · 2020 - 2022

Investigating the Impact of TPST-1120 PPAR ¿ Inhibition on Anti-PD-1 Antibody Immunotherapy Efficacy in Pre-Clinical Melanoma Models

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Tempest Therapeutics · 2018 - 2021

CITN-09 A Phase II Study of MK-3475 in Patients with Advanced Merkel Cell Carcinoma (MCC)

Clinical TrialPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center · 2016 - 2021

Investigating the Combination PORCN Inhibitor, ETC-159, and Checkpoint Inhibitor Immunotherapy in Pre-Clinical Cancer Models

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Agency for Science, Technology and Research · 2018 - 2020

Melanoma-mediated Dendritic Cell Tolerization and Immune Evasion

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2015 - 2020

Metabolic Reprogramming of Dendritic Cell-based Cancer Vaccines to Enhance Anti-Tumor Immunity

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Alliance for Cancer Gene Therapy · 2016 - 2020

Awakening the dormant tumor: the role of the tumor microenvironment in breast cancer recurrence

FellowshipCollaborator · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2017 - 2019

CITN-07 A Phase II, Open-label, Multicenter, Randomized Study of CDX-1401, a Dendritic Cell Targeting NY-ESO-1 Vaccine, in Patients with Malignant Melanoma Pre-Treated with Recombinant CDX-301, a Recombinant Human Flt3 Ligand

Clinical TrialPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center · 2014 - 2018

Investigation of the FZD8-Fc Wnt Ligand Antagonist and the Fzd Receptor Monoclonal Antibody in Combination with Immune Checkpoint Blockade in Pre-Clinical Melanoma, Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer, and Col

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by OncoMed Pharmaceuticals · 2015 - 2018

Phase II Pilot Trial of an Indoleamine 2, 3,diosygenase -1 (IDO1) Inhibitor (INCBO24360) Plus a Multipeptide Melanoma Vaccine (MELTAC 12.1) in Patients with Advanced Melanoma (CITN-04)

Clinical TrialPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center · 2017 - 2018

Investigating Oncogenic Signaling Pathways that Drive Wnt Ligand-mediated Immune Tolerance in Melanoma

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Conquer Cancer Foundation · 2017 - 2018

Seahorse XFe96 Extracellular Flux Analyzer

EquipmentMajor User · Awarded by North Carolina Biotechnology Center · 2017 - 2018

A phase 1 / 2 randomized, blinded, placebo controlled study of Ipilimumab in combination with INCB024360 or placebo in unresectable or metastatic melanoma

Clinical TrialPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Incyte Corporation · 2013 - 2017

Phase II Pilot Trial of an Indoleamine 2, 3,diosygenase -1 ( IDO1) Inhibitor (INCBO24360) Plus a Multipeptide Melanoma Vaccine ( MELTAC 12.1 ) in Patients with Advanced Melanoma

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center · 2015 - 2017

A Phase II, Open-label, Multicenter, Randomized Study of CDX-1401, a Dendritic Cell Targeting NY-ESO-1 Vaccine, in Patients with Malignant Melanoma Pre-Treated with Recombinant CDX-301, a Recombinant

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center · 2015 - 2017

Therapeutic Targeting of the TGF-beta Signaling Axis to Modulate the Tumor Immune Microenvironment and Enhance Melanoma Immunotherapy

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Melanoma Research Alliance · 2013 - 2017

Investigation of TEW-7197 in Combination with Immune Checkpoint Inhibition in the BRAFV600E-PTEN-/- Melanoma Model

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by MedPacto, Inc · 2014 - 2015

A phase II, open-label, multicenter, randomized study of CDX-1401 a Dendritic Cell targeting NY-ESO-1 vaccine, in patients with malignant melanoma pre-treated with recombinant CDX-301, a recombinant human F1t3 ligand

Clinical TrialPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center · 2013 - 2014

A phase II pilot trial of an Indoleamine2,3, dioxygenase-1 (IDO1) Inhibitor (INCB024360) plus a multipeptide melanoma vaccine (MELITAC 12.1) in patients with advanced melanoma.

Clinical TrialPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center · 2013 - 2014

Role of Type III TGF-b Receptor in Mediating Immunosuppression During Breast Cancer Progression

FellowshipPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Department of Defense · 2010 - 2013