Analysis of an immune response against a tumor requires the complete profiling of the various types of immune cells generated – a process known as immunophenotyping. Most commonly, Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocytes (TILs) and lymphocytes in tumor-draining lymph nodes (TDLNs) are studied and characterized. is one of the most common methods of measuring tumor-specific immune responses. This method involves simultaneously profiling multiple

This method involves staining populations of immune cells using a cocktail of fluorescent antibodies and determining specific phenotypes. The project involves creating multi-color fluorescent panels of antibodies against target immune cells – macrophages and their sub-types, dendritic cells, T cells (cytotoxic, helper, regulatory, exhausted sub-types), activated and proliferating immune cells, myeloid-derived suppressor cells, and specific lineage markers to track conversion and infiltration.

I have designed various multi-color panels – consisting of 8, 9, 10, and 12 colors each – to target specific subsets of these immune cells using a combination of open source spectra viewers and panel builder software like FluoroFinder. These panels have been imperative in understand tumor specific immune response in a mouse melanoma model.

This project was implemented in August 2018 as part of my PhD research in immuno-oncology at SUNY Binghamton, Department of Biomedical Engineering.