Stem cell transplants are used to treat many patients with blood cancers, but sometimes the new donor cells not only recognize and destroy the tumor cells, but also attack normal healthy tissue in patients, a condition known as graft-versus-host disease (GvHD). Unfortunately, many techniques to limit GvHD also affect anti-tumor responses, so Dr. Roy is exploring how we might develop a treatment that both limits GvHD and allows for effective anti-cancer immune activity. Specifically, he’s investigating proteins that are involved in T cell migration. T cells without those proteins can still migrate into lymph nodes and kill cancer cells, but they can’t enter peripheral tissues and cause GvHD. Moving forward, Dr. Roy is characterizing how this pathway functions in T cells and developing strategies that could potentially be refined into therapies for patients.
CRI is leading the charge in funding basic science research, like my own, which is crucial for developing new therapies, as well as improving existing ones. Through their funding, they have allowed me to contribute to the greater cancer research community for the ultimate advancement of cancer treatment.
Projects and Grants
Modulation of T cell trafficking by Crk adapter proteins
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia | All Cancers, Childhood Cancer | 2016 | Janis K. Burkhardt, Ph.D.
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