Christopher Pirozzi, PhD, a Medical Instructor in the laboratory of Dr. Hai Yan, has received a Department of Defense Idea Award with Special Focus for his proposal entitled “Modulating Th17 Cells in IDH1-Mutant Gliomas to Promote Antitumor Immunity.” This project stems from findings of the effects mutant IDH1 has on the tumor-immune microenvironment, and will focus on understanding the metabolic impact of mutant IDH1 on cells of the immune system, whether these phenotypes can be reversed through mutant IDH1 inhibition, and whether this can be exploited for therapeutic purposes.
Chris received his Bachelor’s degree from Rutgers University with a double major in Genetics and Philosophy. He worked at the Sloan-Kettering Institute’s Stem Cell Research Core Facility before entering Duke University’s Developmental and Stem Cell Biology Program. He pursued his Ph.D. in the laboratory of Dr. Hai Yan in the Department of Pathology where he worked on understanding the underlying genetics of low grade glioma. As a Hope Funds for Cancer Research Postdoctoral Fellow, Chris worked towards establishing genetically relevant immune-competent mouse models of glioma. Chris is now a Medical Instructor focused on understanding whether the tumor microenvironment can be manipulated to enhance various therapeutic strategies.