Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine
Chicago, United States
My PhD dissertation work (2004-2009) was supervised by Dr. Kathryn J. Jones, PhD (Professor and Chair; Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy at Indiana University School of Medicine) and focused on the neuroimmunology of CD4+ T cells in mediating peripheral nerve regeneration after a facial nerve injury at the stylomastoid foramen. During this time, I was awarded 3 independent Les Turner ALS Foundation grants.
My Postdoctoral training (2009-2014) was supervised by Dr. Maciej S. Lesniak, MD (Professor and Chair; Department of Neurological Surgery at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine) and focused on the study of immunosuppressive regulatory T cells (Tregs; CD4+CD25+FoxP3+) in malignant glioma. During this time, I was awarded an NIH/NINDS F32 (NRSA), as well as an NIH/NINDS K99/R00 Pathway to Independence award.
In 2014, I was recruited to the Department of Neurological Surgery by Dr. Andrew T. Parsa, MD/PhD. The focus of my laboratory aims to understand: (i) [cancer immunology] how indoleamine 2,3 dioxygenase 1 (IDO1) suppresses the immune response in subjects with glioblastoma (GBM); (ii) [effects of aging on cancer immunology] advanced aging suppresses the immune response in older subjects with malignant glioma, given that the median age of a GBM patient diagnosis is 64 years old, and more than 60% of afflicted individuals are considered to be elderly (≥65 years of age); (iii) [effects of distress on cancer immunology] how psychosocial and biobehavioral effects alter the immune response in subjects with malignant glioma, with a particular emphasis on the beta-adrenergic signaling pathway. To-date, I have been awarded as PI, an NIH/NINDS R01 (NS097851), am the Leader of NIH/NCI P50 Project #2 (CA221747), and have received several smaller awards varying in size from BrainUp, the Cancer Research Institute, the Stephen Coffman Charitable Trust, the Zell Foundation, as well as the Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center.