Titles and Affiliations
Resident Physician
Conquer Cancer, the ASCO Foundation
Research Area
Developing a dual-targeting antibody-based therapy for HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer.
Impact
Metastatic breast cancer, cancer that has spread to other parts of the body, is harder to treat than cancer confined to the breast and remains a major cause of cancer-related death. Some breast cancers express a protein called HER2 on the surface of cancer cells, and while there are FDA-approved treatments that target HER2-positive disease, many patients’ cancers eventually stop responding to them, creating a need for new treatment options. For his Conquer Cancer research supported by BCRF, Dr. Nalin is developing a new type of targeted therapy: an antibody designed to bind to HER2 and another protein displayed on cancer cells at the same time. This novel treatment could disable the cancer cells’ ability to evade the immune system, making tumors more sensitive to immunotherapy. Because the treatment is designed to specifically recognize cancer cells, it may cause fewer side effects than current therapies.
What’s Next
Dr. Nalin is first testing this antibody in the laboratory to understand how it works. His long-term goal is to bring the treatment to patients and apply what they learn to develop similar therapies for other types of cancer, potentially providing a much-needed new option for people with metastatic breast cancer.
Biography
Ansel Nalin, MD, PhD is a radiation oncology resident at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. Dr. Nalin completed his PhD and MD degrees in the Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP) at The Ohio State University College of Medicine. During his graduate studies, Dr. Nalin was awarded the Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (F30). He received the Medical Scientist Award from OSU College of Medicine, awarded to the top graduating MSTP student. Dr. Nalin’s research seeks to identify novel immune-based therapies for cancer.
