Kim Blenman, PhD, MS
Assistant Professor of Medicine (Medical Oncology) and Assistant Professor of Computer ScienceCards
About
Research
Overview
Medical Research Interests
Algorithms; Breast Neoplasms; Clinical Trial; Computer Graphics; Data Visualization; Head and Neck Neoplasms; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; Immunotherapy; Medical Informatics Computing; Melanoma; Multiomics; Multiple Myeloma
Public Health Interests
Immunology; Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices; Clinical Trials; Bioinformatics; Biomarkers; Cancer
Publications
2025
Gene expression signatures (GES) derived from digital histology to predict pathologic complete response (pCR) to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (CT) in ISPY2 and other trial/real world cohorts.
Howard F, Babu R, Dolezal J, Huo D, Borowsky A, Symmans W, Campbell M, Wolf D, Hirst G, Venters S, Asare A, Kanaparthi S, Blenman K, Shan N, Perou C, Esserman L, van t Veer L, Pusztai L, Nanda R, Pearson A. Gene expression signatures (GES) derived from digital histology to predict pathologic complete response (pCR) to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (CT) in ISPY2 and other trial/real world cohorts. Journal Of Clinical Oncology 2025, 43: 587-587. DOI: 10.1200/jco.2025.43.16_suppl.587.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchPathological complete responseLikelihood of pathologic complete responseGene expression signaturesHR statusPattern of lymphocyte infiltrationStandard of care CTPredicting pathologic complete responsePrediction of response to therapyHormone receptorsPathologic complete response predictionImprove treatment personalizationPre-treatment biopsiesTime of biopsyResponse to therapyBreast cancer subtypesEstrogen-regulated genesBenjamini-Hochberg correctionNeoadjuvant cohortNeoadjuvant CTYale cohortComplete responseNeoadjuvant chemotherapyPCR rateNodal stagingBreast cancer signaturesDynamic clustering of genomics cohorts beyond race, ethnicity—and ancestry
Mohsen H, Blenman K, Emani P, Morris Q, Carrot-Zhang J, Pusztai L. Dynamic clustering of genomics cohorts beyond race, ethnicity—and ancestry. BMC Medical Genomics 2025, 18: 87. PMID: 40375077, PMCID: PMC12082885, DOI: 10.1186/s12920-025-02154-z.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsGenomic variationGenomic cohortsStudy of human genomic variationWhole exome sequencing datasetsTrait-specific lociHuman genomic variationCancer-relevant genesGenomic patternsGenomic signalsGenomic studiesSequencing datasetsCancer typesGermline variantsDisease predispositionBiological processesFunctional analysisGeographic scalesPhenotypic continuumClustering patternsPotential driversDiverse data collectionsRace categoriesLociGenesComplete portraitA comprehensive evaluation of diversity measures for TCR repertoire profiling
Mika J, Polanska A, Blenman K, Pusztai L, Polanska J, Candéias S, Marczyk M. A comprehensive evaluation of diversity measures for TCR repertoire profiling. BMC Biology 2025, 23: 133. PMID: 40369611, PMCID: PMC12080070, DOI: 10.1186/s12915-025-02236-5.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAccelerated Aging in Cancer and Cancer Treatment: Current Status of Biomarkers
Abraham S, Parekh J, Lee S, Afrin H, Rozenblit M, Blenman K, Perry R, Ferrucci L, Liu J, Irwin M, Lustberg M. Accelerated Aging in Cancer and Cancer Treatment: Current Status of Biomarkers. Cancer Medicine 2025, 14: e70929. PMID: 40322791, PMCID: PMC12051034, DOI: 10.1002/cam4.70929.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsBiological age of patientsLeukocyte telomere lengthInterleukin-6Treatment-related toxicityAge of patientsTherapy-induced toxicityExpression of p16INK4aPredictors of toxicityStatus of biomarkersMarkers of cellular senescenceRadiation therapyBiological ageCancer patientsCancer therapyFunctional reserveAging biomarkersPhysiological reserveCancer treatmentCancerConfirmatory studiesTherapyClinical practiceFunctional capacityPatientsFunctional statusImmune-related adverse events are associated with better event-free survival in a phase I/II clinical trial of durvalumab concomitant with neoadjuvant chemotherapy in early-stage triple-negative breast cancer
Rios-Hoyo A, Dai J, Noel T, Blenman K, Park T, Pusztai L. Immune-related adverse events are associated with better event-free survival in a phase I/II clinical trial of durvalumab concomitant with neoadjuvant chemotherapy in early-stage triple-negative breast cancer. ESMO Open 2025, 10: 104494. PMID: 40107153, PMCID: PMC11964624, DOI: 10.1016/j.esmoop.2025.104494.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsImmune-related adverse eventsTriple-negative breast cancerEvent-free survivalResidual cancer burdenDevelopment of immune-related adverse eventsOverall survivalAdverse eventsLandmark analysisAssociated with better event-free survivalBreast cancerEarly-stage triple-negative breast cancerFrequent immune-related adverse eventsMultiple immune-related adverse eventsEvent-free survival eventsRCB 0Immune checkpoint inhibitor therapyPhase I/II clinical trialsPathological complete responseSingle-arm clinical trialCheckpoint inhibitor therapyImmune checkpoint therapyMedian follow-upTime of surgeryYale Cancer CenterAdministered post-operatively
2024
Circulating tumor DNA fraction predicts residual cancer burden post-neoadjuvant chemotherapy in triple negative breast cancer
Shan N, Gould B, Wang X, Bonora G, Blenman K, Foldi J, Campos G, Walsh M, Du P, Pusztai L. Circulating tumor DNA fraction predicts residual cancer burden post-neoadjuvant chemotherapy in triple negative breast cancer. The Journal Of Liquid Biopsy 2024, 6: 100168. PMID: 40027305, PMCID: PMC11863946, DOI: 10.1016/j.jlb.2024.100168.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchTriple negative breast cancerResidual cancer burdenCirculating tumor DNANegative breast cancerPathological responsePost-NACBreast cancerPlasma circulating tumor DNATriple negative breast cancer patientsResidual cancer burden scoreCirculating tumour DNA fractionPost-neoadjuvant chemotherapyPre-NAC samplesWeekly nab-paclitaxelTumor DNA methylation profilesTumor DNA fractionHot spot mutationsYouden's J statisticNab-paclitaxelPre-NACTumor variantsTumor DNATumor fractionClinical trialsDNA methylation profilesMicrobiome-Based Cancer Therapeutics
Luvhengo T, Miya T, Demetriou D, Blenman K, Dlamini Z. Microbiome-Based Cancer Therapeutics. 2024, 208-226. DOI: 10.1201/9781032706450-16.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchPeripheral blood immune parameters, response, and adverse events after neoadjuvant chemotherapy plus durvalumab in early-stage triple-negative breast cancer
Foldi J, Blenman K, Marczyk M, Gunasekharan V, Polanska A, Gee R, Davis M, Kahn A, Silber A, Pusztai L. Peripheral blood immune parameters, response, and adverse events after neoadjuvant chemotherapy plus durvalumab in early-stage triple-negative breast cancer. Breast Cancer Research And Treatment 2024, 208: 369-377. PMID: 39002068, DOI: 10.1007/s10549-024-07426-3.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchImmune-related adverse eventsTriple-negative breast cancerAssociated with pathological responsePathological complete responseNeoadjuvant chemotherapyCytokine levelsPathological responseAdverse eventsBreast cancerEarly-stage triple-negative breast cancerPatients treated with immune checkpoint inhibitorsB cell clonal expansionMeasured serum cytokine levelsImmune checkpoint inhibitorsGM-CSF levelsPeripheral blood cytokine levelsBlood cytokine levelsSerum cytokine levelsB cell receptorMagnetic bead panelBenjamini-Hochberg correctionSample of patientsImmunoSEQ platformCheckpoint inhibitorsComplete responsePredicting peripheral neuropathy following neoadjuvant therapy in patients with breast cancer.
Feiger B, Biancalana M, Shelton A, Blenman K, Lustberg M. Predicting peripheral neuropathy following neoadjuvant therapy in patients with breast cancer. Journal Of Clinical Oncology 2024, 42: e12639-e12639. DOI: 10.1200/jco.2024.42.16_suppl.e12639.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchBreast cancer patientsNeoadjuvant chemotherapyPeripheral neuropathyNeoadjuvant therapyBreast cancerCancer patientsAdministration of neoadjuvant chemotherapyCohort of breast cancer patientsLikelihood of breast-conserving surgeryContrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imagingQuality of lifeDynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imagingBreast-conserving surgeryReduced tumor burdenTreatment-induced neuropathyOccurrence of neuropathyInduce peripheral neuropathyDensity of blood vesselsPatients' quality of lifeMagnetic resonance imagingAmeliorate neuropathyDCE-MRI dataTumor burdenCumulative toxic effectsIntratumoral vascularityTraining pathologists to assess stromal tumour‐infiltrating lymphocytes in breast cancer synergises efforts in clinical care and scientific research
Ly A, Garcia V, Blenman K, Ehinger A, Elfer K, Hanna M, Li X, Peeters D, Birmingham R, Dudgeon S, Gardecki E, Gupta R, Lennerz J, Pan T, Saltz J, Wharton K, Ehinger D, Acs B, Dequeker E, Salgado R, Gallas B. Training pathologists to assess stromal tumour‐infiltrating lymphocytes in breast cancer synergises efforts in clinical care and scientific research. Histopathology 2024, 84: 915-923. PMID: 38433289, PMCID: PMC10990791, DOI: 10.1111/his.15140.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchStromal tumor-infiltrating lymphocytesTumor-infiltrating lymphocytesUS Food and Drug AdministrationFood and Drug AdministrationBreast cancerPathologist's visual assessmentDrug AdministrationSignificant interobserver variabilityPredicative biomarkerTILs assessmentTrained pathologistsInterobserver agreementInterobserver variabilityVisual assessmentGold standardReference standardBreastCME coursesClinical practiceClinical careCancerMedical educationPathologistsLymphocytesExpert commentary
Clinical Trials
Current Trials
Impact of obesity and sedentary lifestyles on immune response to and clinical outcomes of immunotherapies
HIC ID2000032988RolePrincipal InvestigatorPrimary Completion Date06/01/2023Recruiting Participants
Academic Achievements & Community Involvement
See Below
News & Links
Media
- Kim R.M. Blenman* and Marcus W. Bosenberg. Immune cell and cell cluster phenotyping, quantitation, and visualization using in silico multiplexed images and tissue cytometry. Cytometry A, 2019. PMID: 30468565. [*Corresponding Author].
News
- December 17, 2024
Yale Cancer Center presents advances in breast cancer at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium
- April 12, 2024
Yale Cancer Center Faculty and Trainees Present at AACR Annual Meeting
- October 12, 2023
Yale Cancer Center Researchers Awarded 2023-2024 Grants from the Breast Cancer Research Foundation
- September 20, 2023
Smilow Shares CME: Perspectives on the USPSTF Breast Screening Recommendations