Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is among the deadliest forms of cancer, largely because it spreads quickly and resists current immunotherapies. Although considered an “immunologically cold” tumor, PDAC contains many immune cells—some that fight the tumor and others that help it grow. Understanding how these cells move between the tumor and surrounding lymph nodes, where immune responses are coordinated, could reveal new ways to strengthen the body’s natural defenses. Dr. Anna Kolarzyk’s research focuses on uncovering how the movement and behavior of these immune cells change over time as pancreatic cancer progresses.
Using advanced imaging and cell-tracking technologies, Dr. Kolarzyk has mapped how immune cells circulate between tumors and draining lymph nodes in preclinical models. Her findings show that beneficial immune cells can exit the tumor and travel to lymph nodes, where they stimulate other immune cells, including T cells, to attack cancer more effectively. Interestingly, the types of cells that make this journey vary depending on the tumor’s stage, suggesting that the immune system’s activity evolves as the disease advances. Building on these insights, her work aims to define how this shifting pattern can be leveraged to design stage-specific immunotherapies for pancreatic cancer.
Dr. Kolarzyk brings broad expertise spanning molecular biology, vascular biology, and cancer immunology. Her work has illuminated how blood and lymphatic vessels influence tumor growth and immune regulation. By mapping how immune cells traffic between tumors and lymphoid tissues, she seeks to uncover new therapeutic strategies that reawaken immune responses and improve outcomes for patients with pancreatic cancer.
Sponsor
Deborah Fowell, DPhil
Projects and Grants
Illuminating Immune cell trafficking: Spatiotemporal Mapping of Lymphocyte Dynamics in Pancreatic Cancer
