Peter Wang, PhD
Deciphering how cancer-induced nerve injury affects immune responses in PDAC
The project investigates how nerve invasion by cancer cells — perineural invasion — affects immune system function in pancreatic cancer. Three aims: determine how PDAC cells influence nerves and glia using 3D nerve-invasion cocultures; examine how cancer-modulated nerves affect anti-tumor immune responses; and test whether targeting nerve degeneration improves anti-tumor immunity.
The goal is new combination strategies to enhance immune responses in PDAC, and with them better treatment outcomes.
Dr. Wang completed his undergraduate studies in Biology at Cornell University and received his PhD in Immunology from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, where he investigated the transcriptional identity and function of macrophages and Schwann cells in peripheral nerve homeostasis and injury under Dr. Gwendalyn Randolph and Dr. Jeffrey Milbrandt. He is now a postdoctoral researcher in Dr. William Hwang’s laboratory in the Center for Systems Biology at Massachusetts General Hospital, studying the interplay between cancer, nerves and the immune system in pancreatic cancer.
Seed grants start at $50,000 — awarded by scientists, reported on annually.
Donate →Peter Wang, PhD
Deciphering how cancer-induced nerve injury affects immune responses in PDAC
The project investigates how nerve invasion by cancer cells — perineural invasion — affects immune system function in pancreatic cancer. Three aims: determine how PDAC cells influence nerves and glia using 3D nerve-invasion cocultures; examine how cancer-modulated nerves affect anti-tumor immune responses; and test whether targeting nerve degeneration improves anti-tumor immunity.
The goal is new combination strategies to enhance immune responses in PDAC, and with them better treatment outcomes.
Dr. Wang completed his undergraduate studies in Biology at Cornell University and received his PhD in Immunology from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, where he investigated the transcriptional identity and function of macrophages and Schwann cells in peripheral nerve homeostasis and injury under Dr. Gwendalyn Randolph and Dr. Jeffrey Milbrandt. He is now a postdoctoral researcher in Dr. William Hwang’s laboratory in the Center for Systems Biology at Massachusetts General Hospital, studying the interplay between cancer, nerves and the immune system in pancreatic cancer.
Seed grants start at $50,000 — awarded by scientists, reported on annually.
Donate →