Overview
Ultraviolet radiation (UVR) affects local cutaneous and systemic immunity. The pattern and intensity of UVR exposure, the skin phototype and the immune state of individuals modulate the impact of UVR. Both acute (sunburn) and chronic UVR exposure affect the skin and systemic immunity, and both are linked to a higher risk of skin cancer. In our lab we are investigating how repeated UVR exposure affects systemic immunity and immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) responses in melanoma and other solid cancers.
We are profiling immune cells from the skin and blood after chronic UVR exposure and using co-culture systems to determine the long-term impact of UVR on melanoma local and systemic immunity. The overall aim is to determine whether immune responses after UVR impact the course of melanoma metastasis and therapy response.
