Jason Miska, PhD

Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine
Chicago, United States

My name is Jason Miska Ph.D. and my laboratory is at Northwestern Univeristy Feinberg School of Medicine in the Department of Neurological Surgery. The lab is part of the Malnati Brain Tumor Institute (MBTI), whose goal is to make major discoveries that increase treament options for partients with Central Nervous System (CNS) tumors. The goal of the Miska laboratory's is to determine how the metabolism of immune cells within brain tumors contributes to immune suppression and tumor recurrence. Furthermore, we seek to manipulate these metabolic pathways in a clinically relevant manner to improve patient outcomes for this deadly disease. Currently, we are exploring how the unique metabolism of tumor-associated myeloid cells (TAMCs) promote their survival, immunosuppression, and tumor brain progression. We have discovered that inhibiting the downstream products of arginine metabolism is a useful strategy for promoting anti-tumor immune responses. Our laboratory also performs immunological monitoring for clinical trials in brain tumor patients by monitoring immune phenotypes, T-cell reactivity, and changes in systemic cytokines that occur with therapeutic administration.