Current Research Funding:
NIH K99/R00 CA237851 / Karagiannis (PI) 09/01/2019 - 08/31/2024
Title: Prometastatic Effects of Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy in Breast Cancer
Goals of the Project: This project investigates the underlying mechanisms related to the acquisition of de novo prometastatic properties in breast tumor cells after treatment with neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Outcomes will reveal how the breast tumor microenvironment influences the generation of cancer cell subpopulations that have the ability to both disseminate and seed a new tumor at the metastatic site. Findings will be applied toward new diagnostic and therapeutic tools for counteracting this unwanted side-effect of neo-adjuvant chemotherapy.
Albert Einstein Cancer Center Start-Up Funds / Karagiannis (PI) 10/01/2021 - 09/30/2026
The Karagiannis Laboratory has received a generous start-up package from the Albert Einstein Cancer Center to initiate research efforts to establish a competitive research program in "Cancer Immunology". The Karagiannis Laboratory has committed to the high-quality training of talented individuals and the delivery of state-of-the-art animal model development, advanced microscopy and a digital pathology toolkit to study key questions in cancer metastasis.
Past Research Funding:
AAI Careers in Immunology Award Fellowship / Karagiannis (PI) & Lagou (Trainee) 09/01/2022 - 08/31/2023
Title: The Role of CXCL12 in Endogenous Repair Following Chemotherapy-Induced Thymic Involution
Goals of the Project: This project investigates the underlying mechanisms and pathways related to endogenous thymic regeneration following cyclophosphamide insult. The Cxcl12/Cxcr4 pathway is a key chemotactic pathway regulating the seeding of thymocyte immigrants in the cortical thymus. Dysregulation of this pathway as a result of cortical thymic epithelial cell obliteration upon chemotherapy results in reduced thymic input, shortly after chemotherapy treatments. Therapeutic interventions in restoring the Cxcl12/Cxcr4 gradient in this thymic zone, will putatively improve long-term thymopoiesis.