Lecture, Research

Dean’s Seminar Series featuring Stephen Byers, PhD – “Reprogramming fibroblasts in fibrosis and carcinoma; common process, common therapy?”

Name: Dean’s Seminar Series featuring Stephen Byers, PhD – “Reprogramming fibroblasts in fibrosis and carcinoma; common process, common therapy?”
Start: 2021-12-08T16:00:00-05:00
End: 2021-12-08T17:00:00-05:00
Location: Virtual

Dean’s Seminar Series

Stephen Byers, PhD
Professor and Associate Director, Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center
Director, GUMC-Lombardi Shared Resources
Georgetown University Medical Center

Title & Abstract:

“Reprogramming fibroblasts in fibrosis and carcinoma; common process, common therapy?”

Activation of tissue resident fibroblasts and/or circulating mesenchymal stem cells is associated with inflammatory, fibrotic and autoimmune diseases. Activated cancer associated fibroblasts also occur in several carcinomas including triple negative breast cancer and pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), which are resistant to modern immunotherapy. The mesenchymal cell adhesion molecule, cadherin-11, is a cardinal marker of fibroblast activation and its genetic depletion protects from all fibrotic and autoimmune diseases in which it has been tested. We showed that genetic ablation or inhibition of cadherin-11 reduces fibrosis, synergizes with standard of care chemotherapy and markedly extends survival in animal models of PDAC. Detailed molecular and spatial examination revealed changes in multiple immune cell populations, increased antigen presentation and alterations in fibroblast heterogeneity. Taken together these data point to inhibition cadherin-11 mediated fibroblast reprogramming as a therapeutic opportunity in multiple diseases including carcinomas that are resistant to chemo-and immunotherapy.