In Vivo Monitoring of Tumor Microenvironment Regulation by Macrophages

This project aims to test the hypothesis that bi-directional interaction between tumor microenvironment and region-specific macrophages plays a role in tumor progression thru regulation of hypoxia and acidosis. In vivo mapping of tumor hypoxia using innovative magnetic resonance technology in mice deficient in specific macrophage populations or lacking hypoxia-regulated macrophage functions in a mouse model of breast cancer may provide new insight into a macrophage/tumor microenvironment axis that suppresses the efficacy of clinically-relevant anti-cancer therapies.