• Tumor biology
• Immunology
• Metabolism

Our lab focuses on polyamine metabolism in the tumor microenvironment. Polyamines are a ubiquitous small family of polycations with versatile functions in the cell regulating chromatin configuration, mitochondrial metabolism, redox, and autophagy among other functions. In the tumor microenvironment, homeostasis is disrupted and polyamines are found at high levels. This creates a suppressive immune milieu. We are studying how high levels of polyamines affect the anti-tumor immune response and ways to better target this pathway for improving the immune response in head and neck and thyroid cancer.