Follicular lymphoma (FL), a slow-growing non-Hodgkin lymphoma, follows a remitting-relapsing course with shorter remissions after successive treatments. While many patients initially respond well, high-risk groups—such as those with progression of disease within 24 months (POD24) or that has transformed to a more aggressive subtype of lymphoma—experience significantly worse outcomes. Despite advances in therapies like CAR T-cells, bispecific antibodies, and targeted agents, predicting which which options patients will respond to best remains a challenge, as existing biological markers fail to guide therapy selection reliably in this evolving treatment landscape.
This ASPIRE award will harness the emerging potential of harnessing spatial data to gain critical insights into disease biology. The project will support a large-scale spatial transcriptomic analysis of over 400 FL tumors to map the tumor microenvironment at high resolution. By defining key cell types, states, and spatial interactions that drive disease progression, the study will uncover predictive biomarkers and therapeutic targets linked to clinical outcomes like POD24 and transformation. Ultimately, this work aims to improve patient stratification and guide first-line therapy decisions, particularly for high-risk populations, paving the way for more personalized and effective FL treatment strategies.