Chloe Wu (RIBBECK LAB)

Mucin Glycans Shape Complex Microbial Communities

The human body houses complex microbial communities that are important to health, but host mechanisms for shaping and maintaining specific microbiota are unclear. One critical but often overlooked component is the natural mucus environment. Here, we leverage an ex vivo system to study native microbial communities in physiologically-relevant, yet tightly controlled conditions. We find that mucins and their associated glycans have a role in promoting taxonomic

Allison Sheen (WITTRUP LAB)

Engineering a Tumor-localized Antioxidant Enzyme for Cancer Therapy

Depletion of reactive oxygen species (ROS) using antioxidant therapies has the potential to disrupt various mechanisms that promote tumor growth and progression. Despite promising preclinical data, small molecule antioxidants tested to date have failed to show clinical benefit. When systemically-administered, these molecules are rapidly cleared and may insufficiently deplete ROS at the tumor site. Here, I will discuss our efforts to localize an antioxidant enzyme to solid tumors for therapeutic benefit.