Shana O. Kelley, Ph.D.

Northwestern Medicine investigators have developed a new avenue to reprogram compromised immune cells to act against tumors, according to a study published in Science Advances.

Shana Kelley, PhD, the Neena B. Schwartz Professor of Chemistry, Biomedical Engineering, and of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, was senior author of the study.

Previous research in the Kelley lab revealed that in late-stage cancer, tumors’ treatment resistance is increased when they express more of the protein VISTA, which regulates immune cell activity. By increasing VISTA expression, tumors essentially “hijacked” macrophages – a type of white blood cell responsible for killing and removing dead cells – and recruited them to support the tumors’ growth… Continue reading.

Investigators led by Shana Kelley, PhD, the Neena B. Schwartz Professor of Chemistry, Biomedical Engineering, and of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, have developed a novel approach for identifying sequences of artificial DNA with differing levels of binding to other small molecules.

The approach, detailed in a study published in Nature Chemistry, could help improve the efficiency of diagnostic monitoring for patients with chronic diseases.

Aptamers are sequences of artificial DNA that selectively bind to other small molecules such as peptides, carbohydrates and foreign pathogens. Aptamers can be used for therapeutic purposes in the same way as monoclonal antibodies, and have been used for pathogen and cancer recognition as well as stem cell markers… Continue reading.

Investigators have discovered that the loss of the gene SLIT2 in circulating tumor cells regulates metastasis of prostate cancer tumors, according to a Northwestern Medicine study published in Science Advances.

Metastasis accounts for most cancer-related deaths, yet its underlying mechanisms have remained poorly understood despite recent advances in cancer treatments and care… Continue reading.

Northwestern scientists have developed a new tool to harness immune cells from tumors to fight cancer rapidly and effectively, published in the journal Nature Biomedical Engineering.

Their findings showed a dramatic shrinkage in tumors in mice compared to traditional cell therapy methods. With a novel microfluidic device that could be 3D printed, the team multiplied, sorted through and harvested hundreds of millions of cells, recovering 400 percent more of the tumor-eating cells than current approaches… Continue reading.

WASHINGTON, D.C.— The American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE) has announced the pending induction of Shana O. Kelley, Ph.D., Distinguished Professor, undefined, University of Toronto, to its College of Fellows. Dr. Kelley was nominated, reviewed, and elected by peers and members of the College of Fellows For outstanding contributions to the development of new chip-based sensors for point-of-care molecular analysis.