Alex M. Jaeger, PhD

Research Project:
Combating Resistance to KRAS Inhibitors in Lung Cancer Treatment

Grant Awarded:

Lung Cancer Discovery Award

Research Topics:

basic biologic mechanisms
combination therapies experimental therapeutics
immunology immunotherapy
proteomics

Research Disease:

lung cancer

Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer related death worldwide. Recently, a new class of drugs that target mutant KRAS has emerged with promising clinical results. As KRAS mutations are present in 20-30% of lung cancer patients, KRAS inhibitors are poised to be a mainstay in lung cancer treatment for years to come. However, while many patients exhibit initial responses to KRAS inhibitors, drug resistance remains a major barrier to curing patients. Some studies have suggested that KRAS inhibition activates an immune response, but the mechanisms driving this effect are unknown. We will conduct experiments focused on how KRAS inhibition changes the display of peptides (tiny proteins made of amino acids) to the immune system. Discovery of treatment induced peptides will set the stage for therapies that combine KRAS inhibitors with peptide-centric immunotherapies to combat resistance to this important class of lung cancer treatment.

Page last updated: October 7, 2024

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