Thazin Nwe Aung, PhD
Associate Research Scientist in PathologyCards
Appointments
Contact Info
About
Copy Link
Titles
Associate Research Scientist in Pathology
Biography
Dr. Thazin Nwe Aung earned her PhD in Bioinformatics, Genetics, Genomics, and Evolution from the University of Adelaide, Australia, in 2019. She leads research at the intersection of computational pathology, machine learning, spatial biology, and cancer immune-oncology. Her work focuses on understanding the tumor immune microenvironment in melanoma, non-small cell lung cancer, head and neck cancer, and triple-negative breast cancer, with the goal of developing predictive tools for treatment response and resistance.
Dr. Aung is the recipient of the Robert E. Leet and Clara Guthrie Patterson Trust Mentored Research Grant, the Tower Cancer Research Foundation Career Development Grant, and the Lion Heart Foundation Pilot Grant, which support her application of machine learning to spatial biology, with a focus on predictive modeling in head and neck and triple-negative breast cancers. These projects aim to bridge high-dimensional molecular profiling with clinical practice, ultimately informing patient selection for targeted therapies. Through close collaboration with clinical and computational teams, she is developing approaches that integrate data science with translational oncology, advancing the role of AI-driven tools in cancer research and patient care.
Appointments
Pathology
Associate Research ScientistPrimary
Other Departments & Organizations
Education & Training
- PhD
- University of Adelaide, Dept of Molecular and Biomedical Science (2019)
- MS
- Yangon Technological University, Biotechnology/Molecular Genetics
- BS (Hon)
- Yangon Technological University, Biotechnology/Molecular Genetics
Research
Copy Link
Overview
Medical Research Interests
Public Health Interests
ORCID
0000-0003-4150-0426- View Lab Website
Rimm Lab
Research at a Glance
Yale Co-Authors
Publications Timeline
Research Interests
David Rimm, MD, PhD
Vesal Yaghoobi, MD, MSc
Roy S. Herbst, MD, PhD
Harriet Kluger, MD
Katie Bates
Jonathan Warrell
Melanoma
Immunotherapy
Triple Negative Breast Neoplasms
Publications
2026
Conventional type-1 DC density is associated with checkpoint inhibitor response across multiple types of cancer
Lopez-Janeiro A, González-Gomariz J, Issa F, Hester J, Porciuncula A, Teijeira A, Luri-Rey C, Ruiz-Guillamon D, Perez-Gracia J, Perez-Ruiz E, Barragan I, Martín-Algarra S, Sanmamed M, Ortego I, Rodriguez-Ruiz M, Alexandru R, Rodriguez I, Arrieta-Aranzueque S, Rimm D, Aung T, Schalper K, de Andrea C, Melero I. Conventional type-1 DC density is associated with checkpoint inhibitor response across multiple types of cancer. Journal Of Clinical Investigation 2026, 136: e200987. PMID: 42065248, PMCID: PMC13132367, DOI: 10.1172/jci200987.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricMetabolic characterization of tumor-immune interactions by multiplexed immunofluorescence reveals spatial mechanisms of immunotherapy response in non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC)
Monkman J, Kilgallon A, Lawler C, Tubelleza R, Aung T, Warrell J, Vathiotis I, Trontzas I, Gavrielatou N, Nyein Chan N, Czertok R, Bookstein S, O’Byrne K, Markovits E, Rimm D, Kulasinghe A. Metabolic characterization of tumor-immune interactions by multiplexed immunofluorescence reveals spatial mechanisms of immunotherapy response in non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC). Nature Communications 2026, 17: 837. PMID: 41634004, PMCID: PMC12868679, DOI: 10.1038/s41467-026-68633-8.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetric
2025
Editorial: Response/resistance to PD-1 axis inhibitors: focus on the tumor microenvironment
Fazeli P, Yaghoubi D, Vathiotis I, Kulasinghe A, Aung T. Editorial: Response/resistance to PD-1 axis inhibitors: focus on the tumor microenvironment. Frontiers In Immunology 2025, 16: 1720955. PMID: 41190072, PMCID: PMC12580272, DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2025.1720955.Commentaries, Editorials and LettersAltmetricSpatial signatures for predicting immunotherapy outcomes using multi-omics in non-small cell lung cancer
Aung T, Monkman J, Warrell J, Vathiotis I, Bates K, Gavrielatou N, Trontzas I, Tan C, Fernandez A, Moutafi M, O’ Byrne K, Schalper K, Syrigos K, Herbst R, Kulasinghe A, Rimm D. Spatial signatures for predicting immunotherapy outcomes using multi-omics in non-small cell lung cancer. Nature Genetics 2025, 57: 2482-2493. PMID: 41073787, PMCID: PMC12513832, DOI: 10.1038/s41588-025-02351-7.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricPathomic immune biomarkers define recurrence risk in early-stage melanoma
Aung T, Singh A, Espinoza G, Zhang C, Jiang T, Kenchappa D, Bracero Y, Rakhade S, Sultana S, Shukla S, Nghiem E, Abbruzzese M, Kuang C, Geskin L, Entenberg D, Gartrell R, Ferringer T, Leung L, Moon J, Horst B, Nastiuk K, Rimm D, Chang R, Saenger Y. Pathomic immune biomarkers define recurrence risk in early-stage melanoma. The Oncologist 2025, 30: oyaf327. PMID: 41052286, PMCID: PMC12573246, DOI: 10.1093/oncolo/oyaf327.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsQuantitative assessment of HER2 expression in invasive ductal carcinoma and co-existing DCIS
Zhan H, Chan N, Khaimova R, Aung T, Gaule P, Robbins C, Rimm D. Quantitative assessment of HER2 expression in invasive ductal carcinoma and co-existing DCIS. Breast Cancer Research And Treatment 2025, 213: 273-279. PMID: 40679712, DOI: 10.1007/s10549-025-07781-9.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricPathologist-Read vs AI-Driven Assessment of Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocytes in Melanoma
Aung T, Liu M, Su D, Shafi S, Boyaci C, Steen S, Tsiknakis N, Vidal J, Maher N, Micevic G, Tan S, Vesely M, Nourmohammadi S, Bai Y, Djureinovic D, Wong P, Bates K, Chan N, Gavirelatou N, He M, Burela S, Barna R, Bosic M, Bräutigam K, Illabochaca I, Chenhao Z, Gama J, Kreis B, Mohacsi R, Pillar N, Pinto J, Poulios C, Toli M, Tzoras E, Bracero Y, Bosisio F, Cserni G, Dema A, Fortarezza F, Gonzalez M, Gullo I, Gutiérrez F, Hacihasanoglu E, Jovic V, Lazar B, Olinca M, Neppl C, Oliveira R, Pezzuto F, Pinto D, Plotar V, Pop O, Rau T, Skok K, Sun W, Serbes E, Solass W, Stanowska O, Szasz M, Szymonski K, Thimm F, Vignati D, Vigdorovits A, Prieto V, Sinnberg T, Wilmott J, Cowper S, Warrell J, Saenger Y, Hartman J, Plummer J, Osman I, Rimm D, Acs B. Pathologist-Read vs AI-Driven Assessment of Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocytes in Melanoma. JAMA Network Open 2025, 8: e2518906. PMID: 40608341, PMCID: PMC12232186, DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2025.18906.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricQuantitative Protein Expression of Antibody-Drug Conjugate Targets in EGFR Mutated and Wild-Type Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
Trontzas I, He M, Wurtz A, Robbins C, Robinson N, Bates K, Liu M, Aung T, Scott L, Chan N, Burela S, Schillo J, Liebler D, Hill S, Morrison R, Vathiotis I, Syrigos K, Goldberg S, Politi K, Rimm D. Quantitative Protein Expression of Antibody-Drug Conjugate Targets in EGFR Mutated and Wild-Type Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer. Clinical Cancer Research 2025, 31: 2767-2776. PMID: 40047548, PMCID: PMC12213210, DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-24-3347.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetric
2024
A novel sensitizer reduces EGFR-TKI resistance by regulating the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway and autophagy
Zhang J, Qu Z, Xiao X, Adelson D, Wang F, Wei A, Harata-Lee Y, Cui J, He D, Xie L, Sun L, Li J, Huang Z, Aung T, Yao H, Lin L. A novel sensitizer reduces EGFR-TKI resistance by regulating the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway and autophagy. Heliyon 2024, 11: e41104. PMID: 39844968, PMCID: PMC11750466, DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e41104.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricBCAM (basal cell adhesion molecule) protein expression in different tumor populations
Burela S, He M, Trontzas I, Gavrielatou N, Schalper K, Langermann S, Flies D, Rimm D, Aung T. BCAM (basal cell adhesion molecule) protein expression in different tumor populations. Discover Oncology 2024, 15: 381. PMID: 39207605, PMCID: PMC11362396, DOI: 10.1007/s12672-024-01244-1.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitations
Academic Achievements & Community Involvement
Copy Link
Activities
activity Spatial Omics to Dissect the Lung Cancer Microenvironment and Modes of Treatment Response & Resistance
06/26/2026 - 06/27/2026Oral PresentationIASLC | International Association for the Study of Lung CancerDetailsDublin, L, IrelandSponsored by IASLCactivity Nature Genetics
2025 - 2026Journal ServiceRevieweractivity Nature Communications
2026 - 2026Journal ServiceRevieweractivity Nature Cancer
2026 - 2026Journal ServiceRevieweractivity Sciences Advances
2026 - 2026Journal ServiceReviewer
Honors
honor $200,000 Grant Support for Head & Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma Research
01/31/2025National AwardRobert E. Leet and Clara Guthrie Patterson Trust Mentored Research Award Bank of America, N.A., TrusteeDetailsUnited Stateshonor $100,000 Dr. Susan Love Fund Award for Breast Cancer Research
01/28/2025National AwardTower Cancer Research FoundationDetailsUnited Stateshonor $52,000 Pilot Grant Support for Breast Cancer Research
01/01/2025National AwardLion Heart Foundation, Yale Cancer CenterDetailsUnited States
News
Copy Link
News
- October 10, 2025
‘Google Maps’ Approach to Revolutionize Lung Cancer Treatment
- September 30, 2025Source: Cancer Network
Biomarker Expression Intensity Impacts Melanoma Treatment Decision-Making
- September 29, 2025Source: Cancer Network
Scaling Immune Cell Quantification in Melanoma Through AI-Driven Assessment
- August 20, 2025Source: NBC Connecticut (with Dr. David Rimm and Thazin Aung)
Could AI soon help people with cancer?
Get In Touch
Copy Link
Contacts
Locations
Brady Memorial Laboratory
Lab
310 Cedar St
New Haven, CT 06510