The Ren Lab
To study tumor microenvironment and tumor immunology in cancer therapeutic resistance and metastatic relapse
Principal Investigator
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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.
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Research HighlightJanuary 27, 2023Improving iPSC research with new cell lines
A stable iPSC line, KOLF2.1J, has been established to act as a high-quality baseline platform for modeling human disease. -
Research HighlightDecember 20, 2022Revealing the biology of senescent cells
JAX is playing a major role to bridge experimental mouse and human data and reveal the biology of senescent cells. -
Featured ArticleNovember 22, 2022Understanding cancer-causing MYC and its alternative splicing accomplices
Humans have about 20,000 genes (give or take), far fewer genes than many so-called “primitive” animals, like Daphina pulex, a.k.a. the water flea, which has about 31,000. How then are humans able to be so complex with less genetic material? One answer: alternative splicing. -
Featured ArticleOctober 13, 2022Retraining the immune system to fight against cancer
With a new tactic in immunotherapy, Derya Unutmaz and his team has successfully engineered an atypical type of immune cell, the human mucosal-associated T cell, with the capabilities to overcome challenges in standard CAR-T cell treatment.
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Press ReleaseJanuary 24, 2023Jennifer Trowbridge receives award from The Mark Foundation for Cancer Research
Trowbridge has been recognized as an outstanding early-career scientist and will receive a $750,000 award. -
Featured ArticleDecember 01, 2022Brooks Scholar Award propels cancer and aging research
Recipients of the 2022 Brooks Scholar Award represent a new generation of scientists whose research bridges the fields of cancer and aging. -
Press ReleaseOctober 24, 2022JAX participates in A Day of Hope for Maines cancer fighters
Eight team members who make up JAX's MCGI recently attended MaineGeneral's annual Day of Hope Event at the Augusta Civic Center. -
Research HighlightOctober 06, 2022Improving preclinical cancer research with diverse mouse strains
Muneer Hasham leads a team that is facilitating research into cancer biology and tumor microenvironments in the context of genetic diversity.