About
Titles
Hospital Resident
Biography
Carey Jansen is an M.D. / Ph.D. in Cancer Biology and Immunology. Carey received a B.S. in Biology with High Distinction, as well as a second major in Global Public Health, from the University of Virginia, where she developed her passion for translational biomedical research. In her PhD training at Emory, she studied immune response to cancer, focusing on mechanisms of immune infiltration & organization in solid tumors in the laboratory of Dr. Haydn Kissick. This work established that anti-tumor T cell responses rely on the presence of a TCF1+ stem-like CD8 T cell, and that these cells and maintained and differentiate in intratumoral T cell niches (Nature, 2019). Her subsequent study extended these findings, establishing a role for these intratumoral immune niches in the response to immunotherapy and in multiple tumor types and locations, including in immunologically challenging settings such as in brain metastases, regardless of primary tumor type. Her research interests include continued efforts in understanding the basic mechanisms of the immune response to solid tumors and in translating research findings for optimizing biomarker use and treatment selection in medical oncology.
Throughout the course of her career, she has also invested in serving the scientific community and specifically developing resources and support for the physician-scientist community through her leadership in the American Physician Scientists Association and the successful launch the Behind the Microscope podcast, among others. Carey is passionate about science advocacy and communication, mentoring, and advocating for the inclusion and support of women in careers in science and medicine.
Dr. Jansen is now an Internal Medicine Resident at Yale-New Haven Hospital as part of the Physician-Scientist Training Pathway in Medical Oncology. Dr. Jansen is a member of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, the American Association for Cancer Research, the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer, and the American Physician Scientists Association, and is interested in a career as a physician-scientist specializing in medical oncology.
Departments & Organizations
Education & Training
- MD
- Emory University School of Medicine (2024)
- PhD
- Emory University Laney Graduate School, Graduate Division of Biological and Biomedical Sciences (2022)
- BS
- University of Virginia, Biology and Global Public Health (2015)
Research
Overview
Dr. Jansen's research focuses on mechanisms of immune infiltration & organization in solid tumors. Her work established that anti-tumor T cell responses rely on the presence of a TCF1+ stem-like CD8 T cell, and that these cells and maintained and differentiate in intratumoral T cell niches (Nature, 2019). Her subsequent study extended these findings, establishing a role for these intratumoral immune niches in the response to immunotherapy and in multiple tumor types and locations, including in immunologically challenging settings such as in brain metastases, regardless of primary tumor type. Her ongoing research interests include continued efforts in understanding the basic mechanisms of the immune response to solid tumors and in translating research findings for optimizing biomarker use and treatment selection in medical oncology.
ORCID
0000-0001-9128-2004
Research at a Glance
Publications Timeline
Publications
2025
Neoadjuvant cabozantinib for locally advanced nonmetastatic clear cell renal cell carcinoma: a phase 2 trial
Bilen M, Vo B, Liu Y, Greenwald R, Davarpanah A, McGuire D, Shiradkar R, Li L, Midya A, Nazha B, Brown J, Williams S, Session W, Russler G, Caulfield S, Joshi S, Narayan V, Filson C, Ogan K, Kucuk O, Carthon B, Del Balzo L, Cohen A, Boyanton A, Prokhnevska N, Cardenas M, Sobierajska E, Jansen C, Patil D, Nicaise E, Osunkoya A, Kissick H, Master V. Neoadjuvant cabozantinib for locally advanced nonmetastatic clear cell renal cell carcinoma: a phase 2 trial. Nature Cancer 2025, 6: 432-444. PMID: 40016487, DOI: 10.1038/s43018-025-00922-5.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsNonmetastatic clear cell renal cell carcinomaRenal cell carcinomaClear cell renal cell carcinomaCell renal cell carcinomaCD8+ T cellsT cellsCell carcinomaAdverse eventsStem-like CD8+ T cellsMetastatic renal cell carcinomaPalmar-plantar erythrodysesthesia syndromeSingle-arm clinical trialOral multikinase inhibitorDisease-free survivalPhase 2 trialSecondary end pointsCabozantinib treatmentNeoadjuvant settingStable diseaseBiopsy-provenPartial responseSurgical resectionOverall survivalMultikinase inhibitorMyeloid populationsAssociation of localized high-risk prostate cancer (PC) and an androgen receptor low subpopulation susceptible to HER2 inhibition.
Sowalsky A, Wilkinson S, Ku A, Lis R, King I, Low D, Trostel S, Baj A, Kartal S, Heyward K, Vo B, Jansen C, Ye H, Harmon S, Kissick H, Pinto P, Choyke P, Turkbey B, Dahut W, Karzai F. Association of localized high-risk prostate cancer (PC) and an androgen receptor low subpopulation susceptible to HER2 inhibition. Journal Of Clinical Oncology 2025, 43: 401-401. DOI: 10.1200/jco.2025.43.5_suppl.401.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsAndrogen deprivation therapyPathological responseHER2 activationRadical prostatectomyAR activityProstate tumorsHER2 inhibitionProstate cancerMultiplex immunofluorescenceAndrogen receptorMonths prior to radical prostatectomyLocalized high-risk prostate cancerHigh-risk prostate cancerInitiation of neoadjuvant therapyNeoadjuvant androgen deprivation therapyHER2 inhibitorsFlow cytometryTreated with low dosesAssociated with poor outcomesHigh-risk PCIntensive hormone therapyOccult micrometastatic diseasePoor pathologic responseResidual cancer volumeHuman prostate tumors
2024
Pre-operative stereotactic radiosurgery and peri-operative dexamethasone for resectable brain metastases: a two-arm pilot study evaluating clinical outcomes and immunological correlates
Jansen C, Pagadala M, Cardenas M, Prabhu R, Goyal S, Zhou C, Chappa P, Vo B, Ye C, Hopkins B, Zhong J, Klie A, Daniels T, Admassu M, Green I, Pfister N, Neill S, Switchenko J, Prokhnevska N, Hoang K, Torres M, Logan S, Olson J, Nduom E, del Balzo L, Patel K, Burri S, Asher A, Wilkinson S, Lake R, Kesarwala A, Higgins K, Patel P, Dhere V, Sowalsky A, Carter H, Khan M, Kissick H, Buchwald Z. Pre-operative stereotactic radiosurgery and peri-operative dexamethasone for resectable brain metastases: a two-arm pilot study evaluating clinical outcomes and immunological correlates. Nature Communications 2024, 15: 8854. PMID: 39402027, PMCID: PMC11473782, DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-53034-6.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsPre-operative stereotactic radiosurgeryCD8 T cellsEffector-like cellsT cellsStereotactic radiosurgeryBrain metastasesCD8 T cell responsesEndpoint of overall survivalDistant brain failureResected brain metastasesEfficacy of immunotherapyT cell responsesAntigen presenting cellsSecondary clinical endpointsLocal recurrenceLeptomeningeal diseaseOverall survivalImmune compositionProspective trialsImmune nichePrimary endpointImmunological correlatesPresenting cellsClinical outcomesPilot studyCirculating Tumor DNA in Genitourinary Cancers: Detection, Prognostics, and Therapeutic Implications
Gerke M, Jansen C, Bilen M. Circulating Tumor DNA in Genitourinary Cancers: Detection, Prognostics, and Therapeutic Implications. Cancers 2024, 16: 2280. PMID: 38927984, PMCID: PMC11201475, DOI: 10.3390/cancers16122280.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsRenal cell carcinomaGU cancersProstate cancerBladder cancerGenitourinary (GU) cancersUtilization of liquid biopsyCastration-resistant prostate cancerDetect residual diseaseCirculating tumor DNATherapeutic response predictionCtDNA assaysResidual diseaseCtDNA analysisCell carcinomaTumor DNAGenitourinary cancersPrognostic informationClinical detection methodsTreatment responseGenomic alterationsLiquid biopsyClinical trialsTherapeutic implicationsCancerCtDNAMycobacterium tuberculosis Myositis Without Concurrent Pulmonary Symptoms in a Patient With Immunosuppression
Jansen C, Harrington K, Bennett S, Commodore N, Behnke J, Steinberg R, Carroll M, Morales-Vargas B, Abedalthagafi M, Agrawal A, Vadde A, Abdallah W. Mycobacterium tuberculosis Myositis Without Concurrent Pulmonary Symptoms in a Patient With Immunosuppression. Annals Of Internal Medicine Clinical Cases 2024, 3 DOI: 10.7326/aimcc.2023.0950.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAssociation of CD8 T cell infiltration in the tumor microenvironment with survival outcomes in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC).
Goswamy R, Yildirim A, Wei M, Liu Y, Choi Y, Brown J, Nazha B, Master V, Martini D, Carthon B, Harris W, Kucuk O, Kissick H, Hartman C, McClintock G, Vo B, Jansen C, Zhuang T, Bilen M. Association of CD8 T cell infiltration in the tumor microenvironment with survival outcomes in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC). Journal Of Clinical Oncology 2024, 42: e16527-e16527. DOI: 10.1200/jco.2024.42.16_suppl.e16527.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsCD8 T cell infiltrationMetastatic renal cell carcinomaProgression-free survivalT cell infiltrationCD8 T cellsCheckpoint inhibitorsOverall survivalTyrosine kinase inhibitorsT cellsSystemic therapyTumor microenvironmentMetastatic renal cell carcinoma patientsAssociated with favorable clinical outcomesProgression-free survival outcomesRetrospective analysis of patientsCombination checkpoint inhibitorsIntratumoral T cellsProgression free survivalImproved overall survivalFavorable clinical outcomesWinship Cancer InstituteKaplan Meier analysisAnalysis of patientsRenal cell carcinomaCox proportional hazards modelsUnderstanding and overcoming resistance to immunotherapy in genitourinary cancers
Evans S, Jani Y, Jansen C, Yildirim A, Kalemoglu E, Bilen M. Understanding and overcoming resistance to immunotherapy in genitourinary cancers. Cancer Biology & Therapy 2024, 25: 2342599. PMID: 38629578, PMCID: PMC11028033, DOI: 10.1080/15384047.2024.2342599.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsImmune checkpoint inhibitorsResistance to immunotherapyImmunotherapy resistanceTargeted therapyGenitourinary (GU) cancersCombined immune checkpoint inhibitorsIntroduction of novel immunotherapiesMechanisms of immunotherapy resistanceOvercome resistance to immunotherapyCancer cellsHost immune profileResponse to immunotherapyNovel targeted therapiesImmune system's rolePredictors of responseAttack cancer cellsImmune system's abilityStandard of careCheckpoint inhibitorsSequential therapyNovel immunotherapiesCombination therapyTreatment failureGU cancersTreatment landscapeImpact of immunotherapy time-of-day infusion on survival and immunologic correlates in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma: a multicenter cohort analysis
Patel J, Woo Y, Draper A, Jansen C, Carlisle J, Innominato P, Lévi F, Dhabaan L, Master V, Bilen M, Khan M, Lowe M, Kissick H, Buchwald Z, Qian D. Impact of immunotherapy time-of-day infusion on survival and immunologic correlates in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma: a multicenter cohort analysis. Journal For ImmunoTherapy Of Cancer 2024, 12: e008011. PMID: 38531662, PMCID: PMC10966813, DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2023-008011.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsInfusions of immune checkpoint inhibitorsMetastatic renal cell carcinomaProgression-free survivalOverall survivalRenal cell carcinomaCell carcinomaInternational Metastatic RCC Database Consortium risk scoreAssociated with longer progression-free survivalLung cancerGroup BGroup ATime of ICI initiationLonger progression-free survivalNon-small cell lung cancerMultivariable Cox proportional hazards regressionImmune checkpoint inhibitorsPretreatment lactate dehydrogenaseCell lung cancerCox proportional hazards regressionAdaptive immune responsesProportional hazards regressionMulticenter cohort analysisCheckpoint inhibitorsICI initiationMetastatic melanomaHow to diversify the dwindling physician–scientist workforce after the US affirmative action ban
Ding J, Christophers B, Rupert D, Tang C, Serafini R, Jansen C, Curtis M, Chesebro A, Waldman A. How to diversify the dwindling physician–scientist workforce after the US affirmative action ban. Nature Medicine 2024, 30: 635-637. PMID: 38291299, DOI: 10.1038/s41591-023-02787-6.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchEstablished and Emerging Biomarkers of Immunotherapy in Renal Cell Carcinoma
Jani Y, Jansen C, Gerke M, Bilen M. Established and Emerging Biomarkers of Immunotherapy in Renal Cell Carcinoma. Immunotherapy 2024, 16: 405-426. PMID: 38264827, PMCID: PMC11913054, DOI: 10.2217/imt-2023-0267.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsRenal cell carcinomaCell carcinomaImmune checkpoint inhibitorsBiomarker of immunotherapyRisk of adverse eventsSignificant side effectsCheckpoint inhibitorsDevelopment of biomarkersAdverse eventsImmunotherapyTherapeutic efficacySide effectsPatientsClinical biomarkersPatient's diseaseTherapeutic biomarkersClinician's abilityBiomarkersCarcinomaPatient careImproving clinicians' abilityEfficacy