Peter P. Lee

Research/Lab website:   Lee Lab Home Page

My research focuses on understanding the biology of the immune response to cancer. It is becoming clear that the immune system plays an important role in controlling cancer development and modulating cancer growth. Even patients with metastatic cancer can be shown to have an on-going immune response to their cancer. Why the immune response fails to be protective in the cancer patient remains unclear. A better understanding of this fundamental question may lead to improved strategies to manipulate the immune response as novel cancer therapy.

Key questions being pursued:
1. How does the immune system tell a cancer cell from a normal cell?
2. What are the molecular mechanisms by which cancer cells modulate the immune response?
3. How do different treatments - chemotherapy, radiation, transplantation, biotherapies (e.g. IL-2, Interferon, etc.) - impact on the balance between tumor cell proliferation and the immune response?

To address these questions, we are utilizing state-of-the-art technologies such as dendritic cell and T cell cloning, multi-color (up to 11 color) FACS analysis and sorting, peptide/MHC tetramers, and cDNA microarrays. We are also utilizing mathematical models and simulation with supercomputers to gain insights into the dynamics (systems biology) of these responses.