PME Thesis Defense: Rachel Weathered - Swartz Lab

In cancer, it is well established that tumor lymphangiogenesis correlates with metastasis and poor outcomes. However, recent findings suggest that tumor lymphatics may have a protective role in that they enable the immune education necessary for immunotherapy efficacy. To study this complex interplay, we developed an engineered tumor-lymphatic-immune system interface. Our model aims to better recapitulate the tumor microenvironment by culturing whole tumor and lymph node digests ex vivo and monitoring their interaction over time. We observe tumor survival trends, cell migration, and immunotherapeutic responses that shed light on tumor lymph node education.

<a href="https://uchicago.zoom.us/j/98002366519?pwd=MC96Y0wrUmlINFREdDliRXgvWUor…; View Zoom Here</a>