New perspectives.
New possibilities
for patients.

What do the cells surrounding a tumor have in common across cancers? By integrating more than 15.4 million cells from 3,381 human and mouse samples across 42 cancer types, we identify conserved stromal and immune programs in response to malignancy. This work connects shared features of the tumor microenvironment to clinical outcomes and provides an atlas and software framework for exploring potential therapeutic targets.

Conservation of the Tumor Microenvironment across Organs and Species

Our work identifies fibroblast MYD88 signaling as a driver of immune suppression in pancreatic cancer. In preclinical models, disrupting this pathway enhances antitumor immunity and can improve response to immune checkpoint blockade.

Damon Runyon Clinical Investigator Award ↗ · NIH R37 ↗

We are developing an implantable vaccine platform designed to target residual tumor and generate systemic antitumor immune responses around the time of surgery.

American Cancer Society Discovery Boost Grant ↗

A locally applied hydrogel delivers sustained JUN inhibition to reduce postoperative adhesions. Published mouse and pig studies support continued development toward clinical translation, including prevention of recurrence after adhesiolysis.

2026 SSAT Career Development Award ↗ · Deshka Foster
American College of Surgeons Surgical Adhesions Improvement Grant ↗

A single-cell reference spanning 36 cancer types benchmarks cancer cell lines against patient tumors and links transcriptional programs to predicted genetic dependencies.

Computational oncology

Single-cell and spatial transcriptomics reveal distinct tumor cell states. We relate these programs to clinical outcomes and use computational drug-response predictions to prioritize hypotheses for testing.

Single-cell & spatial transcriptomics

Tertiary lymphoid structures bring immune cells together within and around tumors. Our work explores how cancer-associated fibroblasts, extracellular matrix, and blood and lymphatic vessels shape these niches in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) and other cancers. Some stromal programs support organized T and B cell responses, while others create barriers that restrict immune access. TLS presence alone does not guarantee effective antitumor immunity: location, organization, and the surrounding stromal context matter. This framework highlights selective stromal reprogramming as a potential strategy to support antitumor immune responses.

Nature Communications (2026)