Modulating the immune response to cancer & using metabolic routes in leukemia to our advantage
In this episode, Gustavo Martinez, PhD, and Daniel Herranz, PhD, discussed their new cancer research publications. Dr. Martinez talked about his research into how T cells respond in the context of cancer, and Dr. Herrera explained his lab\u2019s findings related to targeting cancer metabolism in leukemia.\n\nGustavo Martinez, PhD, is Assistant Professor at Rosalind Franklin University. He received American Cancer Society funding to support his research into T cell exhaustion and boosting our immune system\u2019s response against cancer. \n\nDaniel Herranz, PhD, is Assistant Professor of Pharmacology at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey. His ACS-funded research focuses on T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia.\n\nThe first half of the conversation is more technical and is directed towards a scientific audience. The second part, starting at 17:27, is for all audiences.\n\n1:38 \u2013 Dr. Martinez on the focus of his lab and takeaways from his recent publication in The Journal of Immunology titled, \u201cKdm6b Regulates the Generation of Effector CD8+ T Cells by Inducing Chromatin Accessibility in Effector-Associated Genes:\u201d https://www.jimmunol.org/content/early/2021/04/16/jimmunol.2001459\n\n4:40 \u2013 What are some next steps? Are there downstream targets that could be activated?\n\n7:54 \u2013 Dr. Herranz talks about why he\u2019s interested in targeting cancer metabolism in leukemia and shares findings published in his recent paper in Blood, \u201cA novel and highly effective mitochondrial uncoupling drug in T-cell leukemia:\u201d https://ashpublications.org/blood/article-abstract/doi/10.1182/blood.2020008955/475782/A-novel-and-highly-effective-mitochondrial\n\n12:00 \u2013 Dr. Martinez asks about his thoughts regarding combination therapy\n\n14:49 \u2013 Differences in immune response in younger patients\n\n17:27 \u2013 Dr. Herranz provides a nice explanation of how his lab couples basic biology with a therapeutic approach \n\n18:35 \u2013 Dr. Martinez explains his lab\u2019s focus on modulating our own immune system\u2019s response against the tumor cells\n\n19:44 \u2013 They discuss the impact of ACS funding on their research and careers\n\n23:07 \u2013 On improving diversity in cancer research and introducing younger students to science