The research of Haidong Dong, M.D., Ph.D., is focused on defining regulatory mechanisms that influence antitumor immunity. The long-term goal of his laboratory is to understand the molecular and cellular regulatory mechanisms in tumor-immune cell interactions and translate basic research observations into effective cancer immunotherapies.
Two main factors contribute to the failure of tumor immunity: First, the immune system is rendered ineffective by the overwhelming presence of tumor cells; second, tumor cells develop resistance to immune responses. The focus of Dr. Dong's research is on understanding how the immune system progressively loses its effectiveness in eliminating tumor cells and how tumor cells acquire resistance to multiple treatments.