Many cancers, including breast cancer, cause blood stem cells in the bone marrow to change their activity, lending to the formation of abnormal myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs). These MDSCs return to the tumor, where they prevent the body’s immune system from targeting cancer cells and also interfere with anti-cancer treatments. MDCSs are found in many tumor types, and higher numbers of MDSCs are associated with worse survival for cancer patients.
In this proposal, the researcher will investigate the signals and cellular mechanisms that cause blood stem cells to make MDSCs, with the goal of preventing MDSC formation and improving the effectiveness of anti-cancer immune therapies for tumor types such as breast cancer and other solid tumors.
Dr. Swann originally trained as a veterinarian at the University of Cambridge before shifting towards immunology research in his PhD at Oxford. Through his PhD and postdoctoral fellowship work, he has contributed deeply to the fundamental understanding of hematology and hematopoietic stem cells.
Mentors
Emmanuelle Passegué, PhD, Raul Rabadan, PhD
Projects and Grants
Role of YBX1 in myeloid-derived suppressor cell emergence and function
