Dr. Clark has made important findings on the role of immune T cells in skin cancers, particularly squamous cell carcinomas and cutaneous T cell lymphoma.  The Continuation Grant will allow her to expand her research to Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC), a highly malignant skin cancer associated with a novel polyoma virus.  She plans to characterize T cells present in MCC.  The goal is to use this information to better identify patients at risk for this cancer and to develop novel effective tumor vaccines. 

Dr. Clark works under the mentorship of Thomas S. Kupper, MD, at Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts. 

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Project Title: "Merkel cell polyomavirus specific T cells in human Merkel cell carcinomas"

Institution: Brigham and Women's Hospital

Sponsor(s) / Mentor(s): Thomas S. Kupper, MD

Cancer Type: Skin

Research Area: Tumor Immunology