Research Interests
Our current areas of focus include:
- 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
The Duke Preparing Research scholars In bioMEdical sciences (PRIME): Cancer Research Program
ResearchPreceptor · Awarded by National Cancer Institute · 2023 - 2028A 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 - 2028Lyell LYL845 (Melanoma)
Clinical TrialPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Lyell Immunopharma, Inc. · 2023 - 2028Characterizing 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 - 2027Role of mregDC-PCSK9-mediated Inhibition of DC Antigen Cross-Presentation in Tumor Immunotherapy Resistance
ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by V Foundation for Cancer Research · 2024 - 2027Medical Scientist Training Program
Inst. Training Prgm or CMEPreceptor · Awarded by National Institute of General Medical Sciences · 2022 - 2027Role of the NLRP3-NLRC5 Signaling Pathway in Melanoma Immune Evasion and Dormancy
ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Department of Defense · 2024 - 2027Role of the tumor NLRP3 inflammasome in the generation of anti-PD-1 antibody immunotherapy-associated toxicities
ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Cancer Institute · 2021 - 2026Integrated analysis of a NLRP3-dependent adaptive resistance mechanism to pembrolizumab immunotherapy in advanced gastroesophageal cancer
ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Merck Sharp & Dohme · 2022 - 2026Investigation of a Novel PD-L1:NLRP3 Inflammasome Activation Pathway as a Driver of Metastatic Recurrence
ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Merck Sharp & Dohme · 2019 - 2026Overcoming Anti-PD-1 Resistance in Melanoma by Targeting Immunologic Mediators of the Gli2 Pathway
ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by The Melanoma Research Foundation · 2022 - 2025Investigating 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 - 2025Role of Tumor-mediated Innate Training in the Pathogenesis of Immune-related Adverse Events
ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Cancer Research Institute · 2022 - 2025Investigating 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 - 2025Targeting 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 - 2025Clinical Biomarker Study of the Tumor NLRP3 Inflammasome and its Role in Anti-PD-1 Immunotherapy Resistance
ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Conquer Cancer Foundation · 2021 - 2024The NLRP3-HSP70 Axis and Immunotherapy Resistance in Gastric Cancer
ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by American Association for Cancer Research · 2023 - 2024HSP70-TLR4-mediated MDSC Recruitment as an Adaptive Resistance
ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Merck Sharp & Dohme · 2019 - 2024Duke CTSA (TL1) Year 5
Inst. Training Prgm or CMEMentor · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2018 - 2024Tumor-derived Exosome Induction of Dendritic Cell Tolerization
FellowshipPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2020 - 2023Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp. Study Agreement
ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Merck · 2015 - 2023T32 UNC - Duke Immunotherapy Training Program
Inst. Training Prgm or CMEPreceptor · Awarded by University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill · 2021 - 2022Targeting the p38/Snail/PD-L1 axis in hormone-therapy resistance and metastasis
ResearchCo Investigator · Awarded by Department of Defense · 2018 - 2022Investigating the Role of EMT-mediated Dendritic Cell Tolerization in Checkpoint Inhibitor Resistance
ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation · 2018 - 2022Investigating the Immunotherapeutic Properties of the DKK1 Antibody, DKN-01, in Pre-Clinical Models of Melanoma
ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Leap Therapeutics, Inc. · 2018 - 2022MERKLIN-2
Clinical TrialPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by 4SC · 2020 - 2022Exicure AST-008-102
Clinical TrialPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Exicure, Inc · 2020 - 2022Investigating 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 - 2021CITN-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 - 2021Investigating 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 - 2020Melanoma-mediated Dendritic Cell Tolerization and Immune Evasion
ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2015 - 2020Metabolic Reprogramming of Dendritic Cell-based Cancer Vaccines to Enhance Anti-Tumor Immunity
ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Alliance for Cancer Gene Therapy · 2016 - 2020Awakening the dormant tumor: the role of the tumor microenvironment in breast cancer recurrence
FellowshipCollaborator · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2017 - 2019CITN-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 - 2018Investigation 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 - 2018Phase 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 - 2018Investigating Oncogenic Signaling Pathways that Drive Wnt Ligand-mediated Immune Tolerance in Melanoma
ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Conquer Cancer Foundation · 2017 - 2018Seahorse XFe96 Extracellular Flux Analyzer
EquipmentMajor User · Awarded by North Carolina Biotechnology Center · 2017 - 2018A 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 - 2017A 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 - 2017Phase 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 - 2017Therapeutic 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 - 2017Investigation of TEW-7197 in Combination with Immune Checkpoint Inhibition in the BRAFV600E-PTEN-/- Melanoma Model
ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by MedPacto, Inc · 2014 - 2015A 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 - 2014A 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 - 2014Role of Type III TGF-b Receptor in Mediating Immunosuppression During Breast Cancer Progression
FellowshipPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Department of Defense · 2010 - 2013External Relationships
- Amgen, Inc.
- Compugen Ltd.
- Merck & Co. USA (not assoc'd with Merck KGaA)
- PSI CRO Deutschland GmbH
- Tempest Therapeutics
This faculty member (or a member of their immediate family) has reported outside activities with the companies, institutions, or organizations listed above. This information is available to institutional leadership and, when appropriate, management plans are in place to address potential conflicts of interest.