Institute seminar Wednesday 8th December at 12.00: Christina Sæten Fjeldbo
The next institute seminar which will be held on Zoom Wednesday 8th December at 12.00.
Christina Sæten Fjeldbo, Researcher in the Group of Clinical Radiation Biology at the Department of Radiation Biology will present her talk:
The tumor microenvironment and its role in radiotherapy resistance
The tumor microenvironment and its role in radiotherapy resistance
Abstract:
Around 60% of all cancer patients receive radiotherapy during the course of their disease. Many patients experience relapse, and the tumor microenvironment (TME) plays important roles in mediating radiotherapy resistance. In our research group, we aim to better understand the TME-mediated resistance mechanisms and explore how this knowledge can be translated into novel radiation-drug combination therapies to improve patient outcomes.
In my research, I have focused on tumor hypoxia (low O2 concentration) and immunosuppression, which are major adverse TME characteristics. I will present the development of a gene classifier for identifying patients with hypoxic tumors in cervical cancer patients. We are currently evaluating this classifier in an ongoing trial, METOXY-LACC (NCT04275713) at the hospital, repurposing the antidiabetic drug metformin in combination with radiation to target hypoxia. I will further present data on tumor immunity and discuss clinical implications of our novel results on the immunity in hypoxic cervix tumors.
Finally, I will mention our new study that addresses radiotherapy-induced changes to the TME in clinical samples collected during the course of radiotherapy. This unique material may reveal a possible reactivation of tumor immunity by radiation that would be important for the design of emerging therapies combining radiotherapy with immunotherapy.
Links:
Group of Clinical Radiation Biology, headed by Heidi Lyng
Department of Radiation Biology
On behalf of the organizing commitee 2021:
Anette Weyergang
Tord Hompland
Helga B. Landsverk