Rubinstein Lab
Principal Investigator: Mark P Rubinstein
Institution: The Ohio State University (Columbus, OH)
Primary Subfield: Molecular & Cell Bio
Recruitment Status: Inquire for rotation/fellowship opportunities
Research Focus
Compared to Whites, African American/Blacks (AA/B) have a substantially higher (40-50%) colorectal cancer (CRC) mortality rate that is a function of both higher incidence and lower survival rates. Our long-term goal is to understand the differences in immune response that influence this health disparity in CRC mortality. Emerging studies suggest alterations in T cell presence and function in AA/B contribute to CRC disparities, and AA/B CRC patients with low immune infiltrate have particularly poor outcomes. We have found that AA/B CRC patients have disproportionally reduced tumoral MHC class I expression compared with White patients. As MHC class I is critical for presentation of tumor antigens to CD8+ T cells, these results suggest a critical immune mediated mechanism that drives the differences in survival times between AA/B and White patients. The objectives of this project are to understand the mechanisms relevant to T cell alterations within the tumors of AA/B versus White patients and to develop improved biomarkers and therapies to reduce CRC health disparities. Our central hypothesis is that reduced tumoral MHC class I expression drives T cell alterations to enhance tumoral…
Active NIH Awards
- 5R01CA264525-04: Defining the role of tumoral MHC Class I Expression in Mediating Colorectal Cancer Racial Disparities (2026)
- 5R01CA264525-03: Defining the role of tumoral MHC Class I Expression in Mediating Colorectal Cancer Racial Disparities (2025)
- 5R01CA264525-02: Defining the role of tumoral MHC Class I Expression in Mediating Colorectal Cancer Racial Disparities (2024)
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