One of the major challenges in cancer biology is understanding how tumors escape detection by the immune system. Under normal conditions, the body can identify and destroy cells that begin to grow abnormally. However, early-stage cancer cells often adopt survival strategies that allow them to avoid immune attack. Dr. Joseph Kern’s research focuses on uncovering how intestinal tumors—particularly colorectal cancers—evade immune surveillance, and how these mechanisms overlap with the body’s natural processes for healing damaged tissue. Understanding this connection could reveal new strategies to prevent cancer development or halt its progression at its earliest stages.
Dr. Kern’s project investigates how epithelial cells in the intestine, which regenerate after injury, may exploit similar pathways to protect emerging tumor cells from immune destruction. By studying both intestinal repair and the initiation of colorectal cancer, his research aims to identify the molecular and cellular mechanisms that allow early tumor cells to hide from the immune system. These insights could uncover new therapeutic targets to make precancerous and early cancer cells more visible and susceptible to immune attack, ultimately improving the effectiveness of cancer prevention and immunotherapy.
Dr. Kern is a cancer biologist with expertise in epithelial regeneration and tumor immunology. His earlier research uncovered how tumor-suppressive signaling networks regulate early tumor formation and shape the tumor microenvironment. Building on this foundation, he now applies advanced cellular and molecular tools to probe how cancer begins and persists. By bridging the biology of tissue repair and immune evasion, Dr. Kern’s work has the potential to transform early detection and lead to new immune-based strategies for colorectal cancer prevention and treatment.
Sponsor
Judith Agudo, PhD
Projects and Grants
Uncovering Mechanisms of Immune Evasion In Intestinal Tumorigenesis and Regeneration
