UA Steele Children's Research Center Investigator Awarded Prestigious Grant from the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society

The University of Arizona Health Sciences Center

UA Steele Children's Research Center Investigator Awarded
Prestigious Grant from the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society

May 16, 2006
Contact: Darci Slaten, 520-626-7217

The University of Arizona’s Steele Children’s Research Center pediatric cancer researcher Nicolas Larmonier, PhD, has been awarded a prestigious grant from the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Dr. Larmonier received the “Career Development Fellow Award,” a three-year grant awarded to promising investigators with less than two years of post-doctoral research training.

Dr. Larmonier works in the Steele Center research laboratory led by Emmanuel Katsanis, MD, professor, and Louise Thomas Endowed Chair in Pediatric Cancer Research. “This is a very competitive and prestigious award that highlights Dr. Larmonier’s accomplishments. He is an outstanding scientist and I am very lucky to have him as part of my research team,” says Dr. Katsanis.

Dr. Larmonier’s research involves investigating the mechanisms of cancer-induced tolerance. “One subpopulation of suppressive cells, known as T-reg cells, are generated during tumor progression and inhibit most of the cells of the immune system, thus reducing the efficiency of anticancer vaccines,” says Dr. Larmonier. “We are trying to find ways to weaken T-reg cells so that anticancer vaccine treatments like CRCL (chaperone rich cell lysate) that we have developed in Dr. Katsanis’ lab can do its job in building the individual’s immunity against cancer.”

“The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society award will be of great help during the next three years to assist us in pursuing the study of T-reg cells’ role in cancer and understand their mode of action. This is important for the successful development of new immunotherapy strategies that overcome tumor-induced tolerance,” says Dr. Larmonier.

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