Dr. Zheng-Rong Lu's lab focuses on creating advanced anticancer therapies specifically targeting pancreatic cancer. The team is developing innovative nanovaccines made from lipid nanoparticles that aim to enhance immunotherapy effectiveness against this aggressive cancer. By combining these nanovaccines with immune checkpoint inhibitors, the research seeks to significantly improve treatment outcomes for patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, a disease known for its low survival rates.

Dr. Drew James Adams' lab focuses on developing targeted therapies for autoimmune diseases by understanding how T cells become pathologically activated. The research is based on selective inhibitors that can modulate T cell function without broadly suppressing the immune system, potentially leading to treatments with fewer side effects. The lab investigates the molecular mechanisms of these inhibitors and aims to optimize their efficacy in managing diseases like rheumatoid arthritis and graft-versus-host disease.

Dr. Theresa Torres Pizarro's lab focuses on understanding the role of a protein called gasdermin B (GSDMB) in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The team investigates how different forms of GSDMB might affect the function of cells in the gut, especially during diseases like IBD. The ultimate goal is to uncover new ways to improve gut healing and develop treatments for IBD by exploring the molecular mechanisms of GSDMB.

Dr. Xin Yu's lab at Case Western Reserve University focuses on understanding and improving recovery after a stroke. The lab develops advanced MRI techniques to study how fluid moves in the brain and how a protein called AQP4 contributes to brain edema during stroke recovery. This research aims to provide new insights that could lead to better treatments for patients recovering from strokes.

Dr. Chen Zhao's lab at Case Western Reserve University focuses on understanding and targeting leukemia stem cells to improve treatments for acute myeloid leukemia (AML). The lab investigates the role of heat shock transcription factor 1 (HSF1) in maintaining cancer cell survival and potential therapies that can effectively eliminate these stem cells. Additionally, they explore how changes in clonal hematopoiesis can either lead to blood cancers or beneficial immune responses, aiming to shift harmful changes back to healthy blood cell formation.