Grant: Banting Postdoctoral Fellowship Program

High-grade serous ovarian cancer is an aggressive disease with a high relapse rate (80-90%) and low survival rate (30%). According to many recent studies, some patients survive longer than others because they mount strong immune responses against their tumor. Additionally, our lab has shown that patients have an even better prognosis when a diverse team of immune cells are recruited to the tumor, especially B cells that make antibodies. However, the way these different types of immune cells work together to control tumors remains poorly understood. In the proposed study, I will investigate the mechanisms by which antibody-producing B cells interact with other immune cells to control tumor growth. First, I will profile the molecular features of immune cells isolated from 50 ovarian tumor specimens using a technique that captures gene expression with single-cell resolution. Next, I will isolate the antibodies produced by tumor-infiltrating B cells and use these antibodies to define the molecular features that B cells recognize on tumors. My findings will provide unprecedented insights into the inner workings of the immune system in patients, informing the design of new immunotherapies that boost anti-tumor immunity and promote long-term survival of patients.