Date: May 9, 2023
Venue: Zoom
Speaker: Dr. Jesse Kreger
Affiliation: University of Southern California
Title: Mathematically modeling myeloid-derived suppressor cells and cancer dynamics in diverse tumor microenvironments
Abstract: Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) play a prominent role in the tumor microenvironment. A quantitative understanding of the tumor–MDSC interactions that influence disease progression is critical, and currently lacking. We develop computational models that account for complex tumor microenvironments and the impact of potential delays in MDSC activation/recruitment on tumor growth for better understanding of disease progression. We use single-cell genomics data to constrain the models to data and to analyze the impact of different tumor environments and treatments. Furthermore, informed by clinical response data, we fit models to individual patient data using Bayesian parameter inference and discover that inhibition of NK cells plays a critical role in determining response. Our results illustrate the importance of MDSC dynamics in the tumor microenvironment overall and predict interventions promoting shifts toward less immune-suppressed states.