Principal Investigator:
Iliyan D. Iliev, Associate Professor of Immunology in Medicine
Background & Unmet Need
- The tumor microenvironment (TME) is a complex ecosystem of immune cells, extracellular matrix, blood vessels, and other cell types
- While the microbiome (bacteria) has been shown to participate in the TME and influence response to cancer treatments, the role of the mycobiome (fungi) is poorly understood
- For instance, the gut microbiome plays a significant role in whether patients respond to anti-PDL1 treatment
- An improved understanding of the TME and the role of bacteria and fungi may lead to the development of improved diagnostics and treatments
- Unmet Need: Improved platform for analyzing the tumor microbiome and mycobiome
Technology Overview
- The Technology: A computational platform to extract fungal sequences from sequencing data of human tumor samples
- The Discovery: Candida-to-S.Cerevisae ratio were predictive of metastatic colon cancer
- Fungal species, specifically C. albicans and S. Cerevisae species, are prognostic markers of disease progression and worse clinical outcomes of GI cancers
- PoC Data: Fungal species associate with primary tumor samples and with different stages of disease, specifically in GI tumors
- The technology provides a novel method of screening and stratifying cancer patients who may be candidates for antifungal therapy
Technology Applications
- Computational platform to identify tumor-associated fungal species
- Development of a prognostic resource specifically for GI cancers where the technology has identified Candida ssp. as markers for disease progression and outcome
- Identification of potentially druggable fungal species to improve patient outcome
Technology Advantages
- The technology offers a unique framework to detect tumor associated fungal species
- The insights gained through the application of the technology could identify new prognostic markers and inform new treatment strategies such as anti-fungal therapies
- Future advances in detection of fungal DNA in blood samples could allow non-invasive diagnostics
Resources
Intellectual Property
Patents
- PCT Application Filed WO2024035638A1: "Methods for classifying and treating gastrointestinal tumors based on mycobiome analysis"
Cornell Reference
- 10421
Contact Information
For additional information please contact
Brian Kelly
Director, Business Development and Licensing
Phone: (646) 962-7041
Email: bjk44@cornell.edu