Dr. Judith Agudo is focused on understanding why some cancer cells escape the immune system, even in patients receiving immunotherapy. While these treatments can be highly effective, many patients don’t respond, and the reason often lies in the diversity of cancer cells within a single tumor. Not all cancer cells are the same, and Dr. Agudo’s research has shown that a specialized, stem-like subset of cancer cells is particularly resistant to immune attack.

These “cancer stem cells” have the unique ability to survive treatment, regrow tumors, and spread to other parts of the body. Dr. Agudo is investigating how these cells manage to stay hidden from the immune system and how they actively suppress immune responses at different stages of cancer progression. Her research spans three key questions: 1) how do cancer stem cells evade early immune surveillance, 2) how do they resist immune attacks in established tumors, and 3) how do they spread and colonize new tissues while avoiding detection. By uncovering the tactics these cells use to escape the immune system, Dr. Agudo hopes to develop strategies that make immunotherapy more comprehensive, ensuring that it targets and eliminates even the most elusive cancer cells and ultimately reducing relapse and metastasis.

Research Focus

Cancer metastasis, cancer stem cells, immune surveillance

Projects and Grants

Decoding Cancer Cell Plasticity as a Driver of Immune Evasion During Tumor Evolution