Immune checkpoint inhibitors are a common treatment for solid tumors, but for many patients, these drugs don’t work or stop working over time. This can happen when the tumor becomes resistant, or no longer responds to treatment. Recruiting T cells to the tumor can be effective in many cancer types, but most kidney cancers are already flooded with T cells, leading scientists to look for different approaches.
Dr. David Braun’s research is designed to get a complete picture of what is happening in the kidney tumor microenvironment. First, he will map the unique “flags” (or antigens) that kidney cancer cells display. Then, he will test to see what specific types of immune cells actually make it into tumors and are able to recognize and attack those targets. The ultimate goal is to design smarter, more precise immunotherapies that steer the immune system directly toward cancer cells. Dr. Braun hopes to quickly move these insights into clinical trials, bringing new hope to patients with advanced kidney cancer.
Research Focus
Kidney cancer, tumor microenvironment, T cells
Projects and Grants
Development of antigen-directed therapies for renal cell carcinoma
