Kristen Pauken
Regular Member
Assistant Professor
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
Department of Immunology
Cancer exploits normal host regulatory mechanisms to escape the immune system, including the inhibitory PD-1 pathway. PD-1 acts as a “brake” for T cells, and blocking this pathway with PD-1 inhibitors boosts T cell functions to enable tumor cell killing. My long term goal is to identify strategies to selectively boost anti-tumor immunity without the pathogenic immune-related toxicities. In my lab, you can expect a highly supportive and collaborative environment.
McGovern Medical School Faculty
Education & Training
PhD - University of Minnesota - 2013