Understanding the immunosuppressive functions of CAFS in Lung Cancer | Handan Xiang, PhD

ABOUT THIS WEBINAR:

Hear how Merck Senior Scientist Handan Xiang, PhD, used Imaging Mass Cytometry™ (IMC™) to investigate the spatial relationship and functional role of CAFs with regard to their immunosuppressive effect and interactions with infiltrating immune cells in lung squamous cell carcinoma. In this presentation Xiang details her investigation of a mechanism that may underlie CAF impact on monocyte differentiation in lung squamous cell carcinoma.y.

In this webinar presented initially at the Mass Cytometry Virtual Summit meeting, Xiang introduces her approach to answer key questions about the role of CAFs in lung cancer and discusses:

• Potential mechanisms of CAFs in the stroma in resistance mechanisms of immune checkpoint blockade
• How CAFs can impact monocytic migration and differentiation into myeloid-derived suppressor cells
• Insights as to how NOS2 might serve as a potential drug target to restrain the immunosuppressive effect of CAF-educated cells

Xiang reveals how she used IMC in this biopharma project investigating a CAF role in a pathway of migration and differentiation to impact T cell expansion and function.

→ABOUT THE PRESENTER:

Handan Xiang, PhD
Senior Scientist
Merck Research Laboratories

Handan Xiang is a Senior Scientist in Discovery Immunology at Merck. She previously was an Associate Scientist and postdoctoral fellow in Discovery Oncology at Merck, where she completed the work presented in this webinar. She earned her PhD in the Department of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology at Duke University.