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.

	Holly Algood, Ph.D. Associate Professor of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology Assistant Professor of Medicine Immune response to Helicobacter pylori
	Justin M. Balko, Pharm D, PhD. Assistant Professor of Medicine Assistant Professor of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology Translational cancer research focused on molecular therapeutics, onco-immunology & bioinformatics
	Mark R. Boothby, M.D., Ph.D. Professor of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology Professor of Medicine Signal transduction, transcription regulation mechanisms
	Sung Hoon Cho, Ph.D. Research Assistant Professor of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology Immune response, cellular metabolism & tumor progression
	Timothy L. Cover, M.D. Professor of Medicine Professor of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology Bacteria-host interactions, bacterial toxins, helicobacter pylori, and gastric cancer
	Wonder P. Drake, M.D. Professor of Medicine Director, Sarcoidosis Center of Excellence Molecular biology and immunopathogenesis of chronic inflammatory states, particularly sarcoidosis
	P. Brent Ferrell, Jr., M.D. Assistant Professor of Medicine Molecular investigations in myeloid disease
	Barbara M. Fingleton, Ph.D. Associate Professor of Pharmacology Associate Professor of Surgery Understanding function and how to therapeutically target proteases and cytokines in inflammation and cancer
	Michael Savona, MD Acting Chief, Hematology, Cellular Therapy and Stem Cell Transplantation; Professor of Medicine
	Ivelin S. Georgiev, Ph.D. Assistant Professor of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology Assistant Professor of Computer Science Computational immunology and virology
	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
	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. 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
	Alexander Bick, MD, PhD Assistant Professor, Genetic Medicine
	Sebastian Joyce, Ph.D. Professor of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology Dorothy B. and Theodore R. Austin Chair in Pathology Antigen presentation and recognition by immune cells
	John Joseph Karijolich, Ph.D. Associate Professor of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology Oncogenic Viruses, RNA-based mechanisms of antiviral and antitumor immunity, epigenomics, CRISPR screens
	Tae Kon Kim, M.D., Ph.D. Assistant Professor of Medicine, Hematology/Oncology Immune checkpoints in hematologic malignancies and GVHD
	Simon A. Mallal, M.B.B.S. Professor of Medicine Major E.B. Stahlman Chair in Infectious Diseases and Inflammation Professor of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology Immunometabolism & Metabolic Diseases, Tumor Biology & Tumor Immunology
	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
	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
	W. Kimryn Rathmell, Ph.D., M.D. Professor of Medicine Professor of Biochemistry Professor of Cancer Biology Renal cell carcinoma
	Cynthia Reinhart-King, Ph.D. Cornelius Vanderbilt Professor of Engineering Professor of Biomedical Engineering Mechanisms driving tissue formation and disruption during atherosclerosis and cancer
	Ann Richmond, Ph.D. Associate Director for Research Education Professor of Pharmacology Professor of Dermatology The role of the inflammatory response in tumor progression
	Anil Shanker, Ph.D. Associate Professor, Biochemistry and Cancer Biology Meharry Medical College Biology and the regulation of lymphocyte functions in cancer
	Eric P. Skaar, Ph.D., M.P.H. Director, Vanderbilt Institute for Infection, Immunology & Inflammation Director, Division of Molecular Pathogenesis Ernest W. Goodpasture Chair in Pathology Vice Chair for Basic Research, Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology Factors and processes involved in the battle for metal between bacterial pathogens and their hosts
	James W. Thomas, II, M.D. Professor of Medicine Professor of Pathology, Microbiology & Immunology Mechanisms that regulate immune tolerance and why they fail in autoimmune disorders such at type 1 diabetes
	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
	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. 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
	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. 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