Tell us about your research on lung cancer.
My work primarily focuses on understanding the mechanisms of radio-resistance in the context of early stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treatment. Specifically how Neutrophil Extracellular Traps (DNA extrusions secreted from Neutrophils in inflammatory settings such as cancer) may play a role in both spatial and functional inhibition of effector CD8+ T cells.
What do you think makes this project stand out in the field?
While the SARS-COV-2 pandemic was a global crisis that continues to having lasting impacts everywhere in the world, it also provided an opportunity for science to explore questions that would have never been possible otherwise. Specifically, during the pandemic, patients that presented with early stage NSCLC and were eligible for surgery instead received neoadjuvant radiation followed by surgery 3-6 months later due to inaccessibility to operating rooms at the time. This presented the unique opportunity to analyze the tumor immune microenvironment of responders and non responders to radiation – something that has never been done before in this setting.
How will this research help cancer patients?
Current standards of care for early stage NSCLC include surgery in the form of lobectomy or resection and stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR). While less invasive in comparison to surgery, the current limitation of SABR is that many patients recur after treatment. Our work demonstrates that inhibition of NETs and NET formation can improve radiation efficacy suggesting that NET deposition in the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) may be a prognostic target for early stage radiation treatment.
In what ways is working on this project helping you grow as a scientist?
Like any project that comes out of the Spicer and Walsh Labs, my work is the fruit of tremendous collaboration, mentoring and support from both my peers and my supervisors. Over the past two years I have had the opportunity to broaden my horizons and really hone my translational science skills. While everyday I am still learning new things in the lab, I can now confidently say I can use a pipette correctly!