Colorectal cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer death worldwide, and growing evidence suggests that bacteria living in the gut may play an important role in driving the disease. Some potentially harmful bacteria are found even in healthy individuals, but scientists still do not understand why these microbes sometimes become dangerous or how the immune system shapes their behavior. 

Dr. Bromley studies how the immune system interacts with microbes at mucosal surfaces such as the gut. His earlier work used advanced single-cell technologies to reveal how immune responses change during infections such as COVID-19 and tuberculosis, uncovering important mechanisms that determine protection versus disease. 

This project focuses on two bacterial species linked to colorectal cancer: Fusobacterium nucleatum and Akkermansia muciniphila. Dr. Bromley will investigate how antibodies and inflammation within the gut influence the evolution and behavior of these microbes. One particularly innovative aspect of the project involves developing a vaccine designed to target Fusobacterium nucleatum. The goal is to generate antibodies that trap the bacteria in a weakened state, preventing them from promoting tumor growth. 

This work could reveal fundamental new insights into how the immune system shapes the microbiome and how harmful bacteria contribute to colorectal cancer. Ultimately, the findings may open the door to entirely new prevention and treatment strategies that harness the immune system to control cancer-promoting microbes. 

Mentors

Noah Palm, PhD, Akiko Iwasaki, PhD

Projects and Grants

Shaping commensal evolution in colorectal cancer through mucosal immunity