Dr. Jacky Yeung, a fourth-year neurosurgery resident, has been awarded the AANS/CNS Section on Tumors Research Fellowship Grant from the Neurosurgery Research and Education Foundation (NREF) for a project entitled, “Immunogenetic profiling and targeting novel immune check point regulators in meningiomas.” Dr. Yeung will conduct his research under the mentorship of Dr. Lieping Chen, United Technologies Corporation Professor in Cancer Research and Professor of Immunobiology, and Dr. Murat Gunel, Nixdorff-German Professor and Chair of Department of Neurosurgery.
The study funded by this grant involves collaborative efforts across different Yale departments, including Immunobiology, Neurosurgery, and Pathology, and international collaborations to understand the fundamental immunological landscape of meningiomas and find new treatment options utilizing novel immunotherapies in cases not amenable to surgical resection. The study builds upon the strength of Yale’s robust neurogenetics program and the vast experience of Dr. Chen in the field of novel cancer immunotherapeutics.
This project provides insights into the immunological profile of meningiomas based on genetic profiles and, if successful, will provide novel immunotherapy for patients afflicted with recurrent and malignant meningiomas.