The Center for Immunology is proud to congratulate Cara-lin Lonetree and Grant Hickok, both MICaB graduate students in the laboratory of Dr. Ingunn Stromnes, on receiving prestigious Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Awards for Individual Predoctoral Fellows (F31) from the National Cancer Institute (NCI).
The Stromnes Laboratory focuses on understanding why cancers—particularly pancreatic cancer—can resist immunotherapy and how the immune system can be harnessed to develop more effective and durable treatments. The lab investigates how the tumor microenvironment and T cell properties influence T cell migration, persistence, function, and antitumor activity. Using approaches that include genetically engineered mouse models, human tumor studies, and advanced T cell engineering, the lab is working to develop next-generation immunotherapies for pancreatic cancer and other difficult-to-treat cancers.
Cara-lin Lonetree
Project: "Enhancing TCR-engineered T cell therapy with cytokine fusion proteins for pancreatic cancer treatment"
Lonetree's research aims to improve T cell receptor-engineered (TCR-T) cell therapy for pancreatic cancer by overcoming T cell dysfunction within the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. Her work will investigate how IL-15 enhances T cell antitumor activity and develop strategies to restrict IL-15 expression to tumors, maximizing therapeutic efficacy while limiting systemic toxicity. Her research builds directly on the Stromnes Lab's efforts to use genetic engineering to improve the function and persistence of tumor-specific T cells in pancreatic cancer.
Grant Hickok
Project: "Elucidating the Role of CD8+ TCR Attributes in Cancer Immunotherapy"
Hickok's research will investigate the characteristics of tumor-specific T cell receptors (TCRs) that promote prolonged CD8+ T cell persistence, function, and antitumor activity in pancreatic cancer. His work will establish fundamental principles of TCR mechanobiology that influence T cell fate within solid tumors. This research aligns with the Stromnes Lab's broader goal of understanding how T cell receptor properties and the tumor microenvironment shape immune responses and resistance to therapy. The findings may help optimize adoptive cell therapies for pancreatic cancer and provide broader insights into overcoming resistance across multiple cancer types.
These two F31 awards represent an exciting achievement for Cara-lin and Grant, as well as a testament to the outstanding trainee research taking place in the Stromnes Lab and the MICaB Graduate Program.
Congratulations, Cara-lin and Grant, on this well-deserved recognition!