2024 Grantee

Research

Adoptive T cell therapies have  been successful in hematologic malignancies, but their efficacy has been limited in solid tumors. One of the key barriers is believed to be the immunosuppressive tumor metabolic microenvironment. To address this challenge, Dr. Ngwa will use an unbiased approach employing CRISPR/Cas9 technology to identify and characterize metabolic genes that regulate tumor sensitivity or resistance to adoptive T cell therapy in lung squamous carcinoma (LUSC). The successful completion of this project has potential translational implications for the treatment of LUSC, a challenging subset of lung cancer that is difficult to treat with no FDA-approved targeted therapeutic options.

Biography

Inspired by her life challenges, Dr. Ngwa developed an interest in cancer research after obtaining an undergraduate degree in biochemistry and master’s degree in chemical sciences from Kennesaw State University. She obtained her doctorate from Vanderbilt University, where she investigated the role of vascular endothelial glutaminase in breast cancer. Currently a postdoctoral research fellow at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, she is interested in developing new strategies to target metabolic genes in solid tumors to improve immunotherapy in LUSC. 

Acknowledgment of Support

“With an interest in immuno-oncology, my long-term goal is to identify metabolic genes that regulate tumor sensitivity or resistance to adoptive T cell therapy. This fellowship will allow me to investigate these modalities while expanding my knowledge and skills as an independent investigator in the field of cancer immunometabolism.”