In many patients, cancer disrupts the gut microbiome, leading to chronic inflammation and an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment that can reduce the effectiveness of treatment. Dr. Giorgio Trinchieri’s research investigates how the gut microbiome shapes immune responses to cancer and how it might be modulated to improve outcomes with immunotherapy.

Clinical trials using single bacterial species or defined microbial consortia have shown limited benefit, but fecal microbiota transplants (FMT) from healthy donors or immunotherapy-responders have yielded more promising results. In this project, Dr. Trinchieri’s team will evaluate the gut microbiome, inflammation, and immune biomarkers in two groups of patients with melanoma treated with anti-PD-1 immunotherapy: those with exceptional, durable responses (“elite responders”) and those with early disease progression (“early progressors”).

His team will also analyze the gut microbiome and immune profiles in patients with melanoma, lung, and other cancers treated with various therapies alone or in combination, including anti-PD-1, anti-LAG3, anti-CTLA-4, chemotherapy, CpG-ODN, and FMT. These findings could help guide personalized microbiome-based strategies to enhance the effectiveness of cancer immunotherapy.

Research Focus

Melanoma, lung cancer, gut microbiome

Projects and Grants

Gut microbiome, systemic inflammation, and response to immunotherapy