Overview
I am an Assistant Professor of Medical Oncology who primarily treats patients with colon cancer and gastroesophageal cancers. My laboratory and translational research is focused on tumor immune evasion and immunotherapy, particularly in the setting of metastasis. This work has led to a specific interest in tumor-mediated development of dendritic cell tolerance and suppressive myeloid populations. The ultimate goal of this research is to create biomarker-directed immunotherapies for advanced gastrointestinal cancers.
Current Appointments & Affiliations
Assistant Professor of Medicine
·
2023 - Present
Medicine, Medical Oncology,
Medicine
Member of the Duke Cancer Institute
·
2018 - Present
Duke Cancer Institute,
Institutes and Centers
Recent Publications
GLI2 Facilitates Tumor Immune Evasion and Immunotherapeutic Resistance by Coordinating WNT and Prostaglandin Signaling.
Journal Article Cancer Res · May 2, 2025 Therapeutic resistance to immune checkpoint blockade has been commonly linked to the process of mesenchymal transformation (MT) and remains a prevalent obstacle across many cancer types. An improved mechanistic understanding for MT-mediated immune evasion ... Full text Link to item CiteA lactate-SREBP2 signaling axis drives tolerogenic dendritic cell maturation and promotes cancer progression.
Journal Article Sci Immunol · May 10, 2024 Conventional dendritic cells (DCs) are essential mediators of antitumor immunity. As a result, cancers have developed poorly understood mechanisms to render DCs dysfunctional within the tumor microenvironment (TME). After identification of CD63 as a specif ... Full text Link to item CiteGli2 Facilitates Tumor Immune Evasion and Immunotherapeutic Resistance by Coordinating Wnt Ligand and Prostaglandin Signaling.
Journal Article bioRxiv · April 1, 2024 UNLABELLED: Therapeutic resistance to immune checkpoint blockade has been commonly linked to the process of mesenchymal transformation (MT) and remains a prevalent obstacle across many cancer types. An improved mechanistic understanding for MT-mediated imm ... Full text Link to item CiteRecent Grants
Botensilimab and Balstilimab Optimization in Colorectal Cancer (BBOpCo)
Clinical TrialPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Agenus, Inc. · 2024 - 2029A First-in-Human, Multicenter, Phase 1/2, Open-Label Study of Vilastobart (XTX101) Monotherapy and Vilastobart (XTX101) and Atezolizumab Combination Therapy in Patients with Advanced Solid Tumors
Clinical TrialPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Xilio Development Inc. · 2024 - 2029A Phase 1/1b Study of ASP2138 in Participants with Metastatic or Locally Advanced Unresectable Gastric or Gastroesophageal Junction (GEJ) Adenocarcinoma or Metastatic Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma Whose Tumors Have Claudin (CLDN) 18.2 Expression
Clinical TrialPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Astellas Pharma Global Development, Inc · 2024 - 2029View All Grants
Education, Training & Certifications
University of South Florida, College of Medicine ·
2012
M.D.