Dendritic cells are imprinted by the tissue in which they reside. Through our studies of tissue specific dendritic cell heterogeneity we aim to understand: 

• How does the site of the tumor, with its distinct repertoire of tissue associated immune cells, shape the tumor immune response?
• What are the mechanisms by which distinct dendritic cell subsets regulate tumor growth and metastasis?

As the gatekeepers to T cell mediated immunity, dendritic cells harbor enormous therapeutic potential for cancer immunotherapy. By decoding the distinct functional roles of dendritic cell subsets, our aim is to translate single cell immunology into novel therapeutic approaches for enhanced tumor immunity.

Lack of data on the immune landscape of both healthy pediatric tissues and pediatric solid tumors limits rational use of cancer immunotherapy in children. The Brown Lab is committed to mapping the developing human immune system and its interaction with solid tumors in order to develop novel immunotherapeutic targets in pediatric cancer.