Current Research and Scholarly Interests
To address the intrinsic heterogeneity of primary cancers, we have taken a single-cell approach to the study of cancer, particularly childhood leukemia. To organize the tremendous data generated from single-cell studies, we also seek to understand the healthy structure of the tissue of origin.
Using single-cell, high-parameter analysis platforms, especially mass cytometry, to examine primary patient samples, we seek to identify how childhood cancers diverge from their healthy tissue of origin and how cancer cells may exploit developmental states for their benefit. Further, what populations or features of tumor cells are associated with clinical outcomes of interest, such as site of disease, relapse, or drug resistance? Using this knowledge, we can further investigate new approaches to treatment for children with cancer and mechanisms of drug resistance, and with a particular interest in how this relates to immunotherapeutic approaches to cancer treatment.
