A Short Biography:

Dr. Hermes Garban�s research focuses on three major areas: molecular tumor immunobiology, regulation of gene expression and nitric oxide biology and signaling. Tumor immune-tolerance is one of multiple mechanisms utilized by cancer cells in order to evade the immune system. Garban�s laboratory studies the molecular mechanisms involved in the tumor-dependent modulation of immune-tolerance and tumor resistance to programmed cell death or apoptosis. Their central hypothesis is that cancer cells are acquiring a new profile of gene expression by the activation of genetic and/or epigenetic signals that are directing the survival of cancer cells even in a perfectly normal immunocompetent environment. Thus, determining the mechanisms of control of these ectopically expressed genes (i.e., FOXP3, ROBO4, COX2, YY1, TRAF6, Survivin, etc.) and their role in tumor-derived immune-tolerance and resistance to apoptosis will provide new insight in the mechanisms of tumor immune evasion, define better-targeted immunotherapy strategies and improve the effectiveness of conventional therapies against cancer. In addition, Garban�s lab is interested in studying the role of Nitric Oxide (NO) and other reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the regulation of gene expression in the above-mentioned paradigm.