Research Projects
Exploiting the Immune System for Early Cancer Detection
Early‐stage tumors are small, often measuring <1 cm across. Detecting such small tumors is hard because the cancer‐specific signals are weak and difficult to spot using imaging and traditional biomarkers. As an alternate approach to developing increasingly sensitive sensors, it may be possible to use the body’s own immune system as a powerful early warning system for cancer. However, to achieve this, we need to know (i) which immune responses are specifically induced by tumors and (ii) what the time course and evolution of those responses is, and (iii) whether these cancer‐specific immune signatures are detectable in a blood sample.
Parag Mallick is leading his Stanford team to develop AI tools that will allow us to understand the spatio-temporal trajectory of immune infiltration into tumors. This will allow us to particularly understand the primary interactions between B-cells, T-cells, and cancers to see how they might be altered by the presence of a cancer. Additionally, we are developing genomics models that allow us to track the evolution of the immune system over time in response to cancers. Stanford researchers are collaborating with experts from University College London, the University of Manchester, Oregon Health and Sciences University (OHSU), and the University of Cambridge.
Novel Early Markers for Ovarian Cancer (NEMO)
Sharon Pitteri, Chief of the Division of Diagnostic Sciences Laboratory at Stanford Radiology, is leading an important initiative to detect early changes in the fallopian tubes that may signal the onset of ovarian cancer. The goal is to develop strategies for identifying patients at high risk of developing this disease and to prevent its progression.
To achieve this, Stanford researchers are collaborating with experts from University College London, the University of Manchester, OHSU, and the University of Cambridge. Together, they are working to identify and analyze glycosylated proteins found in fluid from the fallopian tubes, which could reveal early signs of ovarian cancer transformation.
