Mentor: Dawn Quelle, PhD

Comprehensive Exam: 

RABL6A, a novel oncogene and regulator of immunomodulation

My Research:

The primary research goal of the Quelle lab is to develop new therapies for rare cancers. My thesis work is aimed at understanding how Malignant Peripheral Nerve Sheath Tumors, a type of sarcoma, respond to targeted therapy and immunotherapy. Many sarcomas are inherently resistant to immunotherapy so understanding factors contributing to response and resistance is a massive barrier to moving immunotherapy to the sarcoma world.

Awards:

• Pharmacological and Pharmaceutical Sciences Annual Retreat Best Oral Presentation, 2022
• Pharmacological and Pharmaceutical Sciences Annual Retreat Best Poster, 2023
• Fellowship Appointment, Pharmacological Sciences T32, 2021
• Fellowship Appointment, NRSA F31 Diversity, 2023

Teaching:

2023 and 2024 Cancer and Toxicology for Drug Use and Abuse (PCOL: 2220) 

Presentations:

• 2021 AACR special conferences in Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy. Boston, MA (poster).
• 2023 Children's Tumor Foundation 2023 in Scottsdale, AZ. (oral)
• 2023 Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center Annual Retreat. CDK4/6-MEK inhibition in MPNSTs causes plasma cell infiltration, sensitization to PD-L1 blockade, and tumor regression. (poster)
• 2024 Midwest Regional Tumor Microenvironment Meeting 2024. Madison, WI (poster)
• 2024 Global NF Conference 2024 - oral presentation Intratumoral plasma cells are required for a durable response to adjuvant PDL1 therapy in de novo MPNSTs.  Brussels, Belgium
• 2024 Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center Annual Retreat. CDK4/6-MEK inhibition in MPNSTs causes plasma cell infiltration, sensitization to PD-L1 blockade, and tumor regression.

Publications:

1. Lingo J, Voigt E, Quelle DE. Linking FOXM1 and PD-L1 to CDK4/6-MEK targeted therapy resistance in malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors. Oncotarget. 2024; 15:638-643.
2. Kohlmeyer JL, Kaemmer CA, Lingo JJ, Voigt E, Leidinger MR, et al. Oncogenic RABL6A promotes NF1-associated MPNST progression in vivo. Neurooncol Adv. 2022 Apr 9;4(1):vdac047. PMCID: PMC9092646.
3.  Kohlmeyer JL*, Lingo JJ*, Kaemmer CA, Scherer A, Warrier A, et al. CDK4/6-MEK Inhibition in MPNSTs Causes Plasma Cell Infiltration, Sensitization to PD-L1 Blockade, and Tumor Regression. Clin Cancer Res. 2023 Sep 1;29(17):3484-3497. PMCID: PMC10528807. * indicates co-first authorship