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Medical Sciences Division and John Cairns
Pancreatic cancer carries a dismal prognosis, even in the minority of patients who are eligible for surgery. As a result, there is an urgent need to develop novel strategies to improve the quality of life and survival for patients. Immunotherapy has revolutionised the treatment of many cancers, but pancreatic cancer has proven highly resistant. This is largely due to the tumour microenvironment, which is dominated by immune- suppressive macrophages.
The significance of cancer metabolism is now widely recognised, but until recently the field has focused on tumour cells. Now, emerging evidence demonstrates the key role that metabolism plays in dictating the functional state of immune cells. This has wide ranging implications and drives the need to deepen our understanding of immunometabolism and how it impacts on treatment resistance.
Over the next five years, Mr Jones plans to advance our understanding of macrophage biology in pancreatic cancer. By uncovering how these immune cells influence the disease, he aims to develop innovative therapeutic strategies that could significantly improve outcomes for patients.
The Wellcome Early-Career Awards scheme provides funding for innovative projects that will ‘deliver shifts in understanding related to human life, health and wellbeing.’ The awards support early-career researchers on the path to leading their own research programmes.
For more information about the award, please visit the Wellcome website.