Auditorio "Dr. Francisco Bolívar Zapata"

12:00 hrs

Seminario vía remota
Transmisión en Auditorio "Dr. Francisco Bolívar Zapata"

12:00 hrs

Seminario vía remota

Transmisión en Auditorio "Dr. Francisco Bolívar Zapata"

12:00 hrs

Auditorio Francisco Bolívar Zapata

12:00 hrs

Translational tumor immunology aims to bridge laboratory discoveries with clinical applications, yet successful cancer immunotherapy is frequently hindered by intrinsic and acquired resistance mechanisms orchestrated by the tumor microenvironment (TME). Utilizing in vitro tumor models and patient-derived samples with focus on breast cancer, head and neck carcinoma and hematological malignancies, the multifaceted interplay between malignant cells and host immunity across different cancer types will be presented, focusing on the major immune escape pathways. A primary mechanism of tumor evasion involves the downregulation or structural alterations of classical human leukocyte antigens (HLA class I), components of the antigen-processing machinery (APM) as well as interferon pathway, which impairs tumor recognition by cytotoxic T lymphocytes. Concurrently, the upregulation of non-classical HLA molecules and diverse inhibitory immune checkpoints, which varies markedly depending on tumor histology, suppresses T cell responses. Beyond direct cell surface signaling, the extracellular matrix (ECM) and the broader cellular TME act as dynamic regulators of immune suppression. Mechanistic studies in experimental models further highlight post-transcriptional regulators, particularly microRNAs (miRNAs), as critical drivers of immune escape by controlling HLA and APM component expression, checkpoint networks, and ECM remodeling, as well as shaping the functional phenotype of immune cell subpopulations, including tumor-associated macrophages. Integrating these mechanistic insights from in vitro models to the clinical setting provides the basis to identify novel prognostic biomarkers and design targeted combinatorial immunotherapies capable of reversing tumor immune resistance.

Auditorio "Dr. Francisco Bolívar Zapata"

12:00 hrs