Jason Miska, PhD
Assistant Professor, Neurological Surgery
Research Program
- Tumor Environment and Metastasis (TEAM)
- Translational Research in Malignancy (TRIM)
Cancer-Focused Research
The goal of Dr. Miska's research is to determine how the metabolism of immune cells within glioblastoma contributes to immune suppression and tumor recurrence. Furthermore, the long-term goal of his work is to manipulate these metabolic pathways in a clinically relevant manner to improve patient outcomes for this deadly disease. Currently, Dr. Miska is exploring how arginine consumption by tumor-associated myeloid cells (TAMCs) promotes their survival and immunosuppression in brain tumors. TAMCs are the most prominent cellular infiltrate into malignant brain tumors and are an attractive target for targeted therapies. We have discovered that inhibiting the downstream metabolites of arginine catabolism can specifically, and potently, inhibit TAMCs to promote anti-tumor immunity. Dr. Miska's previous studies have provided valuable insights into the cellular biology of Regulatory T-cells (Tregs), myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), and the utilization of immunotherapy to promote anti-tumor immune responses. Dr. Miska currently collaborates with several Lurie Cancer Center members and is currently a member of the Malnati Brain Tumor Institute at Northwestern.