Founders & Organizers
- Jennifer Guerriero, PhD
- Judith Varner, PhD
- Johanna A. Joyce, PhD
- Lisa Coussens, PhD
- Dmitri Gabrilovich, MD/PhD
- Jelani Zarif, PhD
Jennifer Guerriero, PhD
Founder, Organizer
Dr. Jennifer L. Guerriero is an Assistant Professor of Surgery at Brigham and Women's Hospital and serves as the Director of the Breast Tumor Immunology Laboratory at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. She earned her bachelor's degree in Biochemistry from Northeastern University and her PhD in Molecular and Cellular Biology and Immunology and Pathology from Stony Brook University, where she conducted her thesis on cell death pathways and innate immunity in cancer chemotherapy. Following her doctoral studies, Dr. Guerriero completed postdoctoral training at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, focusing on the role of tumor-associated macrophages in breast cancer and exploring strategies to reprogram these cells from a pro-tumor to an anti-tumor phenotype.
In her current research, Dr. Guerriero aims to accelerate breast cancer immunotherapy by targeting tumor-associated macrophages. Her lab seeks to design strategies that promote T-cell activation and diminish the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment, thereby improving immunotherapy response rates in breast cancer patients. This involves identifying tumor-promoting macrophages, understanding their molecular and metabolic regulation, and determining methods to modulate their function for anti-tumor responses.
Dr. Guerriero is also a co-founder of The Myeloid Network, reflecting her commitment to advancing research in myeloid cell biology and its implications in cancer immunotherapy.
Publications
Dr. Jennifer L. Guerriero has made significant contributions to cancer research, particularly in understanding the role of tumor-associated macrophages in breast cancer. Some of her most prominent cancer-related publications include:
"Assessment of the HER2DX Assay in Patients With ERBB2-Positive Breast Cancer Treated With Neoadjuvant Paclitaxel, Trastuzumab, and Pertuzumab" (2023): This study evaluates the HER2DX assay's effectiveness in predicting responses to neoadjuvant therapy in ERBB2-positive breast cancer patients.
"STING agonism enhances anti-tumor immune responses and therapeutic efficacy of PARP inhibition in BRCA-associated breast cancer" (2022): This research explores how activating the STING pathway can improve the efficacy of PARP inhibitors in treating BRCA-associated breast cancers.
"Understanding resistance to immune checkpoint inhibitors in advanced breast cancer" (2022): This review delves into the mechanisms behind resistance to immune checkpoint inhibitors in advanced breast cancer, offering insights into potential therapeutic strategies.
"Targeting immunosuppressive macrophages overcomes PARP inhibitor resistance in BRCA1-associated triple-negative breast cancer" (2021): This study investigates strategies to modulate tumor-associated macrophages to overcome resistance to PARP inhibitors in BRCA1-associated triple-negative breast cancer.
"PARP Inhibitor Efficacy Depends on CD8 T-cell Recruitment via Intratumoral STING Pathway Activation in BRCA-Deficient Models of Triple-Negative Breast Cancer" (2019): This research highlights the importance of CD8 T-cell recruitment through the STING pathway for the effectiveness of PARP inhibitors in BRCA-deficient triple-negative breast cancer models.
These publications underscore Dr. Guerriero's focus on the tumor microenvironment and the development of innovative immunotherapeutic strategies for breast cancer.
Education
Dr. Jennifer L. Guerriero has an extensive educational background in biochemistry, molecular and cellular biology, and immunology and pathology. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry from Northeastern University, where she was also a Division I pole vaulter. She then obtained her PhD in Molecular and Cellular Biology and Immunology and Pathology from Stony Brook University. Following her doctoral studies, Dr. Guerriero completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.
Professional Activities
Dr. Jennifer L. Guerriero is actively involved in several professional activities within the field of cancer immunology:
Assistant Professor of Surgery at Harvard Medical School, where she contributes to both teaching and research.
Lead Investigator at Brigham and Women's Hospital, heading an independent laboratory that focuses on developing novel strategies to modulate tumor-associated macrophages.
Director of the Breast Tumor Immunology Laboratory at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, leading translational research to investigate innovative methods to modulate the immune response in breast cancer.
Co-founder of The Myeloid Network, a monthly international seminar series aimed at connecting researchers worldwide to promote communication and advancement in the field of myeloid cell biology.
Director At-Large for the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC), where she has also served as Chair and Co-Chair of the Early Career Scientist Committee.
Associate Editor for the Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer (JITC), contributing to the dissemination of significant research findings in the field.
Member of the Cancer Immunology Working Group Steering Committee of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR), participating in initiatives to advance cancer immunology research.
Through these roles, Dr. Guerriero actively contributes to advancing cancer immunology research, fostering collaboration, and supporting the development of early-career scientists in the field.
