My postdoctoral research is focused on understanding how melanoma tumors respond to immunotherapy, identifying correlates of response and therapeutically actionable mechanisms of resistance using next generation sequencing technologies. I am interested in leveraging multiple -omics approaches and well-annotated clinical datasets to address specific questions regarding sensitivity and resistance to immune checkpoint therapies, including the molecular stratification of patients who do and do not benefit, the diversity in mechanisms of resistance, and the identification of alternative therapeutic opportunities with respect to anti-PD-1 therapy. My hope is that, by standardizing experimental techniques and analysis approaches across clinical datasets, we can better and more specifically design treatment strategies for melanoma patients.
I completed my graduate training in the laboratory of Dr. Obi Griffith at Washington University in St. Louis, where I developed skills in cancer genomics and bioinformatics. I subsequently joined the laboratory of Dr. Antoni Ribas at the University of California, Los Angeles, where I am currently applying these skills to clinical trials for immunotherapy in melanoma. Throughout my training, I have been fortunate to have had fearless and supportive mentors, and this experience has motivated my career aspirations in cancer research. As a member of the Associate Member Council, I aim to emulate the positive impact my mentors have had on me by translating these experiences for the trainees and early-career scientists of the AACR community.