This project will harness a human tumor-infiltrating bacterium to deliver immune-activating molecules directly inside cancers. Our goal is to reprogram the local tumor environment to help the immune system recognize and eliminate cancer cells.
Christopher D. Johnston, PhD, is an Associate Professor in the Department of Genomic Medicine and Director of Microbial Genomics within the PRIME-TR platform at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. Trained in molecular microbiology, immunology, and infectious disease, his research investigates how certain bacteria adapt to and persist within human tumors, seeking to apply that knowledge to develop microbe-based cancer therapies. His group combines genomic and synthetic biology approaches to engineer naturally tumor-infiltrating microbes as delivery vehicles for immune-modulating agents. The Mark Foundation Emerging Leader Award supports these efforts to move from defining the biology of microbial tumor colonization to leveraging it for therapeutic intervention in refractory cancers.