Jackson Laboratory

The Ren Lab

Principal Investigator: Guangwen "Gary" Ren, Ph.D.

The Jackson Laboratory
Bar Harbor, ME

Connect with me:

To study tumor microenvironment and tumor immunology in cancer therapeutic resistance and metastatic relapse

OUR RESEARCH FOCUS

The Ren group mainly focuses on elucidating how mesenchymal lineage cells (mesenchymal stem cells and fibroblasts) and immune-regulatory myeloid cells (neutrophils and macrophages) modulate the adaptive immune responses in cancer treatment resistance and metastatic relapse. These studies will fully take advantage of the unique research platform--patient-derived xenograft (PDX) tumors in humanized mouse models at The Jackson Laboratory, with the research goal to develop novel strategies targeting tumor microenvironment to improve the efficacies of conventional cancer therapies and new therapeutics such as immunotherapy.

Full Scientific Report

The Jackson Laboratory Cancer Center

View all research positions

Open Positions

Job	Job Title	Location	Description

Lab Staff

Li Hua, Ph.D.

Postdoctoral Associate

Stromal cells may provide a positive or negative role in modulating the immunotherapy.
Peishan Li, Ph.D.

Postdoctoral Associate

Dissecting the Roles of MSC and Adipocytes in Cancer Metastasis
Guangwen "Gary" Ren, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor

To study tumor microenvironment and tumor immunology in cancer therapeutic resistance and metastatic relapse.

Selected Publications

Highlighted Abstract

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), also called multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells, exist in almost all tissues and are a key cell source for tissue repair and regeneration. Under pathological conditions, such as tissue injury, these cells are mobilized towards the site of damage. Tissue damage is usually accompanied by proinflammatory factors, produced by both innate and adaptive immune responses, to which MSCs are known to respond. Indeed, recent studies have shown that there are bidirectional interactions between MSCs and inflammatory cells, which determine the outcome of MSC-mediated tissue repair processes. Although many details of these interactions remain to be elucidated, we provide here a synthesis of the current status of this newly emerging and rapidly advancing field.

View full list of publications

Research HighlightJuly 17, 2019
JAX postdoc Kira Young lands ASH Scholar Award
JAX postdoctoral associate Kira Young, Ph.D., has received the ASH Scholar Award from the American Society for Hematology to support her research studying “old blood.” Young is using the award to understand the different types of white blood cells that make up the immune system and how they change as we age.
- Aging
- Cancer
Featured ArticleJune 04, 2019
MCGI Advances clinical genomics education in Maine
Oncology practices in Maine will continue to have access to advanced educational curricula on genomic tumor testing in patient care through the Maine Cancer Genomics Initiative (MCGI), thanks to a gift from the Maine Cancer Foundation.
- Meet our donors
- Cancer
Featured ArticleApril 30, 2019
Mapping a Cancer Free Life
Jens Rueter, Medical Director of the Maine Cancer Genomics Initiative, and Madeleine Braun, Chief of Presidential Initiatives at JAX, discuss the future of cancer care during the first 2019 JAXtaposition event at the Portland Museum of Art.
Search MagazineApril 11, 2019
Tipping the balance in the fight against cancer
JAX Professor Karolina Palucka is seeking new ways to harness the body's natural defenses against cancer.
- Immunology
- Immune Disorders

Search MagazineJuly 02, 2019
Who does what in a lab: scientist job titles explained
Ever wonder who does what in a research lab? We joined the Bolcun-Filas group for a day to learn about the scientists who work together on female fertility.
Research HighlightMay 14, 2019
Big data and aging mechanisms
Advances in data resource aggregation and analytics will enable the research community to readily identify convergent molecular evidence for novel mechanisms of aging and other health and disease-related processes.
- Aging
- Aging
Research HighlightApril 17, 2019
Intercepting genes to study red blood cells
Supported by a recent two-year grant from the National Institutes of Health, JAX researchers are developing a new form of gene intercept methodology to deplete mouse macrophages but not other cells.
Press ReleaseApril 01, 2019
Premature cellular aging and multiple sclerosis
Research led by the UConn School of Medicine and JAX shows that senescence, a cellular aging process, is associated with an aggressive form of multiple sclerosis (MS). The finding explains a mechanism for MS disease progression as well as indicating a promising avenue for therapy development.
- Multiple sclerosis
- Aging