[Nadia’s Gift Foundation Innovator]

Variations in drug efficacy and toxicity between patients are a major limitation to the long-term treatment of cancer. Even if the initial treatment is successful, cancers can return due to the emergence of cancer drug resistance. Dr. Turnbaugh seeks to determine how the gut microbiome (bacteria residing in the human body) contributes to drug efficacy and resistance. He will combine microbiology and pharmacology approaches to identify new microbiome-based biomarkers for monitoring and predicting acquired drug resistance. The findings will also have broad implications for development of more effective treatment regimens for patients with colorectal as well as other cancers. 

Dr. Wang is applying a chemical biology approach to identify kinases and small molecule inhibitors that enhance the immune system’s tumor surveillance capabilities. Therapies that enhance the anti-tumor activity of the immune system have shown tremendous promise in patients; however, only a subset of patients and tumors respond well to such treatments, so identifying complementary strategies to increase the effectiveness of existing immunotherapies is increasingly important. His goal is to obtain mechanistic insight into the anti-tumor immune response and to identify small molecule drugs that may improve the efficacy of immunotherapies in patients.

Dr. Westcott is developing improved in vivo models for studying the complex interactions between colorectal cancer and the immune system. The powerful genome editing technology CRISPR-Cas9 will be leveraged to rapidly generate a suite of novel mouse models of colorectal cancer harboring distinct mutational signatures seen in human cancer. He will use genome-wide sequencing and preclinical studies to dissect the role of these mutational signatures in promoting cancer cell detection by the immune system, and in modulating response to immunotherapies. These studies will provide new tools to probe fundamental questions of tumor immunology, with the ultimate goal of improving the poor response of colorectal cancers to immunotherapies.

The cost of gastrointestinal cancer care in older adults is high, and hospital readmission after major GI cancer surgery can be particularly costly. The Center for Medicare Services (CMS) estimates that around 75% of these readmissions are preventable. For these patients, early warning signs for dehydration, infection, or other complications, if noted earlier, would allow physicians to intervene and prevent readmission. Dr. Yeo, a surgeon, has worked with programmers from Cornell Tech Campus to develop a Mobile Application (iPhone or Android compatible) for patients undergoing abdominal cancer surgery. The app tracks patients’ mobility and prompts patients to input quantitative and qualitative data regarding pain, fluid status and dietary factors in order to allow physicians to intervene earlier as needed. She is currently piloting the app for feasibility and usability, and improving the user interface so that physicians can use the app to monitor and improve patient care. The next step is a prospective randomized study to evaluate the utility of this mobile app in the prevention of readmission, thus enhancing physician-patient interactions, decreasing costs and, most importantly, improving patient care.