Tumor Immunology Researchers

Tumors are comprised of cancerous cells as well as stromal and immune cells.  The immune system plays a crucial role to edit and shape tumor growth and immune therapies have shown tremendous promise to revolutionize cancer care.  Together with the Vanderbilt Ingram Cancer Center, VCI members are making new discoveries of how the immune system is recruited and recognizes tumor cells and how immune modulatory therapies can promote durable anti-tumor immune responses.

Justin Balko, Pharm D., Ph.D.

Justin M. Balko, Pharm.D., Ph.D.

Assistant Professor of Medicine

Assistant Professor of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology

Translational cancer research focused on molecular therapeutics, onco-immunology & bioinformatics

 

Mark Boothby, M.D., Ph.D.

Mark R. Boothby, M.D., Ph.D.

Professor of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology

Professor of Medicine

Signal transduction, transcription regulation mechanisms

 

Jin Chen, M.D., Ph.D.

Jin Chen, M.D., Ph.D.

Professor of Medicine

Professor of Cell and Developmental Biology

Tumor-blood vessel interaction and tumor cell metabolism effects on anti-tumor immunity

 

Sung Hoon Cho, Ph.D.

Sung Hoon Cho, Ph.D.

Research Assistant Professor of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology

Immune response, cellular metabolism & tumor progression

 

Timothy L. Cover, Ph.D.

Timothy L. Cover, M.D.

Professor of Medicine

Professor of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology

Bacteria-host interactions, bacterial toxins, helicobacter pylori, and gastric cancer

 

Craig L. Duvall, Ph.D.

Craig Duvall , Ph.D.

Professor of Biomedical Engineering

Drug and nanoparticle targeting, intracellular biomacromolecular delivery, and systems for controlled release of growth factors and other extracellular-acting molecules

 

P. Brent Ferrel, M.D.

P. Brent Ferrell, Jr., M.D.

Assistant Professor of Medicine

Molecular investigations in myeloid disease

 

Todd D. Giorgio, Ph.D.

Todd D. Giorgio, Ph.D.

Professor of Biomedical Engineering

Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering

Professor of Cancer Biology

Protease-responsive biosensors for siRNA and drug delivery in vitro and in vivo

 

Alyssa H. Hasty, Ph.D.

Alyssa H. Hasty, Ph.D.

Cornelius Vanderbilt Chair in Molecular Physiology and Biophysics

Mechanisms by which obesity increases risk for disease

 

Rebecca A. Ihrie, Ph.D.

Rebecca A. Ihrie, Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Cell & Developmental Biology

Assistant Professor of Neurological Surgery

Stem cells; ventricular-subventricular zone (V-SVZ)

 

Jonathan M. Irish, Ph.D.

Jonathan M. Irish, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor of Cell & Developmental Biology

Assistant Professor of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology

Cancer, precision medicine, computational biology, machine learning, cell signaling, chemical biology, single cell tools

 

Tae Kon Kim, M.D., Ph.D.

Tae Kon Kim, M.D., Ph.D.

Assistant Professor of Medicine, Hematology/Oncology

Immune checkpoints in hematologic malignancies and GVHD

 

Ken Lau, Ph.D.

Ken Lau, Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Cell and Developmental Biology

Single-cell, computational systems biology, inflammation, colorectal cancer, stem cells, epithelial biology, cell state specification, signal transduction

 

Nick Markham, M.D., Ph.D.

Nick Markham, M.D., Ph.D.

Assistant Professor of Medicine

Assistant Professor of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology

Colorectal cancer, C. difficile, cancer biology, microbiome, transcriptomics, organoids, microbial toxin pathogenesis, host-pathogen interactions

 

Frank Mason, Ph.D.

Frank Mason, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor of Medicine

Mechanisms that promote genomic instability and metabolic barriers to immunotherapy in renal cell carcinoma

 

Denis Mogilenko, Ph.D.

Denis Mogilenko, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor of Medicine 

Assistant Professor of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology 

Immunometabolism, Molecular Biology, Systems Biology, Computational Biology, Cancer Biology, Obesity, Aging,

 

Mary Philip, Ph.D.

Mary Philip, M.D., Ph.D.

Assistant Professor of Medicine

Assistant Professor of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology

Hematology, Cancer Immunology, T cells, Epigenetics, Autoimmunity, Differentiation

 

Elizabeth Phillips, M.D.

Elizabeth Phillips, M.D.

Professor of Medicine

Professor of Dermatology

John A. Oates Chair in Clinical Research

Professor of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology

Professor of Pharmacology

HLA, T-cell Immunology, Immunogenomics, Pharmacogenomics, Drug Hypersensitivity, SJS/TEN, Adverse Drug Reactions

 

Marjan Rafat, Ph.D.

Marjan Rafat, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering

Assistant Professor of Radiation Oncology

Effects of radiation and surgery on tumor and immune cell migration, the molecular profiles of tissues wounded from therapy, and the biomechanical properties of tissues following therapy

 

Jeffrey C. Rathmell, Ph.D.

Jeffrey C. Rathmell, Ph.D.

Professor of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology

Professor of Molecular Physiology & Biophysics

Cornelius Vanderbilt Chair in Immunobiology

T cell metabolism in inflammation and anti-tumor immunity

 

Julie Rhoades, Ph.D.

Julie Rhoades, Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Medicine

Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering

Cancer metastasis to bone and tumor-induced bone disease

 

Ann Richmond, Ph.D.

Ann Richmond, Ph.D.

Associate Director for Research Education

Professor of Pharmacology

Professor of Dermatology

The role of the inflammatory response in tumor progression

 

Jeffery C. Rathmell, PhD

Krishnendu Roy, Ph.D.

Bruce and Bridgitt Evans Dean of Engineering

Professor of Biomedical Engineering

Professor of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology

Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering

 

Anil Shanker, Ph.D.

Anil Shanker, Ph.D.

Professor of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology

Cornelius Vanderbilt Chair in Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology

Biochemistry and molecular biology of HIV infection; Antiviral mechanisms

 

Luc Van Kaer, Ph.D.

Luc Van Kaer, Ph.D.

Elizabeth and John Shapiro Chair

Professor of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology

Role of innate-type regulatory lymphocytes in health and chronic inflammatory diseases

 

Kasey Vickers, Ph.D.

Kasey Vickers, Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Medicine

Associate Professor of Molecular Physiology & Biophysics

Assistant Professor of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology

MicroRNAs and other sRNA-mediated gene regulation in cholesterol, glucose, lipid and lipoprotein metabolism

 

John Wilson, Ph.D.

John T. Wilson, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor, Chemical & Biomolecular Enginering

Assistant Professor, Biomedical Engineering

Polymer science, nanotechnology, immunobiology, colloid and surface engineering, cell engineering, and drug delivery

 

Keith T. Wilson, M.D.

Keith T. Wilson, M.D.

Thomas F. Frist Sr. Chair in Medicine

Professor of Medicine

Professor of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology

Host immune response to the gastric pathogen Helicobacter pylori

 

Lan Wu, M.D.

Lan Wu, M.D.

Research Associate Professor of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology

Interactions between the immune and metabolic systems, whole body metabolism

 

Fiona E. Yull, D. Phill.

Fiona E. Yull, D.Phil.

Associate Professor of Cancer Biology

Associate Professor of Pharmacology

Ovarian, breast and lung cancer

 

Sandra S. Zinkel, M.D., Ph. D.

Sandra S. Zinkel, M.D., Ph.D.

Professor of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology

Associate Professor of Medicine

Associate Professor of Cancer Biology

Mechanisms by which normal and malignant cells regulate programed cell death or apoptosis following DNA damage

 

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