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Immune Oncology

Program Overview

Membership of the Immune-Oncology (IO) Program is composed of a diverse and multidisciplinary group of investigators with robust strength in immunogenetics, cellular and molecular immunology, oncoimmunology, and translational immunotherapeutics. IO investigators work collaboratively to investigate, discover and improve current and new immune-based therapeutics in an effort to overcome mechanisms of immune resistance and evasion by cancer cells, and creating paradigm-shifting discoveries in both preclinical and clinical realms - with each effort informing and complementing the other.

Specific Aims

  • Elucidate the genetic and molecular mechanisms that control anti-tumor immunity and recognition of cancer cells by immune cells.
  • Discover novel strategies to overcome acquired and/or adaptive immune resistance to immuno-oncology therapeutics.
  • Develop clinical trials based on molecular, cellular and immune cancer therapeutic strategies.

Program Members

  • Portrait of Ata Abbas

    Ata Abbas, PhD

    Research Scientist
    Department of Medicine
    School of Medicine
    Member
    Immune Oncology Program
    Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

    Email: axa335@case.edu

    Phone: 216.368.1627

  • Portrait of Derek Abbott

    Derek Abbott, MD, PhD

    Professor
    Department of Pathology
    School of Medicine
    Arline H. and Curtis F. Garvin Professor of Medicine
    Department of Pathology
    School of Medicine
    Member
    Immune Oncology Program
    Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

    Email: derek.abbott@case.edu

    Phone: 216.368.8564

  • Donald Anthony

    Donald D. Anthony, Jr. , MD, PhD

    Professor
    School of Medicine
    Member
    Immune Oncology Program
    Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

    Email: DDA3@case.edu

    Phone: 216.368.3540

  • Portrait of Faiz Anwer

    Faiz Anwer, MD

    Associate Professor
    Department of Medicine
    School of Medicine
    Member
    Immune Oncology Program
    Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

    Email: anwerf@ccf.org

  • Dr. Stefanie Avril

    Stefanie Avril, MD

    Associate Professor
    School of Medicine
    Norma C. and Albert I. Geller Professor in Ovarian Cancer Research
    Member
    Immune Oncology Program
    Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

    Email: stefanie.avril@case.edu

    Phone: 216.844.3890

  • Portrait of Tonjeh M Bah outside in whitecoat

    Tonjeh Bah, MD

    Associate Professor
    Department of Medicine
    School of Medicine
    Member
    Immune Oncology Program
    Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

    Email: tbah@metrohealth.org

  • Jayati Basu headshot

    Jayati Basu, PhD

    Assistant Staff
    Cleveland Clinic
    Member
    Immune Oncology Program
    Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

    Email: BASUJ@ccf.org

  • Claudio Brunstein headshot

    Claudio Brunstein, MD, PhD

    Hematology and Medical Oncology
    Cleveland Clinic
    Member
    Immune Oncology Program
    Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

    Email: brunstc@ccf.org

  • Portrait of G. Thomas Budd

    G. Thomas Budd, MD

    Professor
    Department of Medicine
    School of Medicine
    Member
    Immune Oncology Program
    Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

    Email: buddg@ccf.org

    Phone: 216.444.6480

  • Aaron Burberry

    Aaron Burberry, PhD

    Assistant Professor
    Department of Pathology
    School of Medicine
    Member
    Immune Oncology Program
    Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

    Email: aaron.burberry@case.edu

    Phone: 216.368.1066

  • Portrait of Tatiana Byzova

    Tatiana V. Byzova, PhD

    Assistant Professor
    Department of Molecular Medicine
    School of Medicine
    Member
    Immune Oncology Program
    Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

    Email: byzovat@ccf.org

    Phone: 216.445.4312

  • Portrait of Paolo Caimi

    Paolo F. Caimi, MD

    Associate Professor
    Department of Medicine
    Division of Hematology and Oncology
    School of Medicine
    Member
    Immune Oncology Program
    Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

    Email: paolo.caimi@case.edu

  • Mark Cameron, PhD

    Mark Cameron, PhD

    Associate Professor
    Department of Population and Quantitative Health Sciences
    School of Medicine
    Member
    Center for RNA Science and Therapeutics
    School of Medicine
    Member
    Immune Oncology Program
    Case Comprehensive Cancer Center
    Faculty
    Cleveland Institute for Computational Biology

    Email: mjc230@case.edu

    Phone: 216.368.3196

  • Portrait of Hetty Carraway blonde woman wearing dark jacket

    Hetty E. Carraway, MD, MBA

    Professor
    Department of Medicine
    School of Medicine
    Member
    Immune Oncology Program
    Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

    Email: carrawh@ccf.org

    Phone: 216.445.5899

  • Sakti Chakrabarti headshot

    Sakti Chakrabarti, MD

    Assistant Professor
    University Hospitals Seidman Cancer Center
    Member
    Immune Oncology Program
    Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

  • Timothy Chan headshot

    Timothy Chan, MD, PhD

    Co-Director
    National Center for Regenerative Medicine
    School of Medicine
    Co-Leader
    Immune Oncology Program
    Case Comprehensive Cancer Center
    Professor
    Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences
    School of Medicine

    Email: CHANT2@ccf.org

  • Lai Chan

    Lai (Linda) Chan, PhD

    Assistant Staff
    Cleveland Clinic
    Member
    Immune Oncology Program
    Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

    Email: chanl3@ccf.org

  • Sung Hee Choi, PhD

    Research Scientist
    Department of Pediatrics
    School of Medicine
    Member
    Immune Oncology Program
    Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

    Email: sunghee.choi@case.edu

  • Portrait of Kevin Cooper in blue dress shirt, blue tie and white coat

    Kevin D. Cooper, MD

    Professor
    Department of Dermatology
    School of Medicine
    Professor
    Department of Pathology
    School of Medicine
    Member
    Immune Oncology Program
    Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

    Email: kevin.cooper@UHhospitals.org

    Phone: 216.844.3111

  • Gregory Cooper headshot

    Gregory Cooper, MD

    Professor
    Department of Medicine
    School of Medicine
    Professor
    Department of Population and Quantitative Health Sciences
    School of Medicine
    Co-Leader
    Population and Cancer Prevention Program
    Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

    Email: Gregory.Cooper@uhhospitals.org

    Phone: 216.844.5385

  • Portrait of Mari Dallas

    Mari H. Dallas, MD

    Associate Professor
    Department of Pediatrics
    School of Medicine
    Member
    Immune Oncology Program
    Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

    Email: mhd27@case.edu

    Phone: 216.844.3345

  • Jerry Dang

    Jerry Dang, MD, PhD

    Associate Staff
    Cancer Biology
    Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic
    Associate Staff
    Digestive Disease Institute
    Cleveland Clinic
    Member
    Immune Oncology Program
    Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

  • Robert Dean headshot

    Robert M. Dean, MD

    Assistant Professor
    Department of Medicine
    School of Medicine
    Member
    Immune Oncology Program
    Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

    Email: deanr@ccf.org

    Phone: 216.445.5365

  • Changchun Deng headshot

    Changchun Deng, MD, PhD

    Associate Professor
    Hematology and Oncology
    University Hospitals Seidman Cancer Center
    Member
    Immune Oncology Program
    Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

    Email: Changchun.Deng@UHhospitals.org

  • Portrait of Amar Desai

    Amar Desai, PhD

    Assistant Professor
    Case Comprehensive Cancer Center
    Member
    Immune Oncology Program
    Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

    Email: amar.desai@case.edu

  • Portrait of C Marcela Diaz

    C. Marcela Diaz, PhD

    Adjunct Assistant Professor
    Department of Molecular Medicine
    School of Medicine
    Member
    Immune Oncology Program
    Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

    Email: diazc2@ccf.org

  • Portrait of James Driscoll

    James Driscoll, MD, PhD

    Clinical Associate Professor
    Department of Medicine
    School of Medicine
    Member
    Immune Oncology Program
    Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

    Email: james.driscoll@UHospitals.org

    Phone: 216.368.0933

  • George Dubyak

    George R. Dubyak, PhD

    Professor
    Department of Physiology and Biophysics
    School of Medicine
    Professor
    Department of Pathology
    School of Medicine
    Professor
    Department of Pharmacology
    School of Medicine
    Member
    Immune Oncology Program
    Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

    Email: george.dubyak@case.edu

    Phone: 216.368.5523

  • Robert Fairchild headshot

    Robert L. Fairchild, PhD

    Professor
    Department of Molecular Medicine
    School of Medicine
    Professor
    Department of Pathology
    School of Medicine
    Member
    Immune Oncology Program
    Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

    Email: fairchr@ccf.org

    Phone: 216.444.3146

  • Claudio Fiocchi Headshot

    Claudio Fiocchi, MD

    Professor
    Department of Molecular Medicine
    School of Medicine
    Professor
    Department of Inflammation and Immunity
    School of Medicine
    Member
    Immune Oncology Program
    Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

    Email: fiocchc@ccf.org

    Phone: 216.445.0895

  • Saori Furuta headshot

    Saori Furuta, PhD

    Associate Professor
    Cancer Biology
    Case Western Reserve University
    Member
    Immune Oncology Program
    Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

    Email: sxf494@case.edu

  • Portrait of Molly Gallogly, MD, PhD

    Molly Gallogly, MD, PhD

    Assistant Professor
    Department of Medicine
    School of Medicine
    Member
    Immune Oncology Program
    Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

    Email: molly.gallogly@UHhospitals.org

  • Portrait of Stan Gerson in dark suit with light colored tie

    Stanton L. Gerson, MD

    Dean
    School of Medicine
    Senior Vice President for Medical Affairs
    Director
    National Center for Regenerative Medicine
    Professor
    Department of Medicine
    Professor
    Department of Environmental Health Sciences
    Member
    Immune Oncology Program
    Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

    Email: stanton.gerson@case.edu

    Phone: 216.368.2825

  • Wendy Goodman

    Wendy A. Goodman, PhD

    Assistant Professor
    Department of Pathology
    School of Medicine
    Member
    Immune Oncology Program
    Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

    Email: wag@case.edu

    Phone: 216.368.3920

  • Portrait of Neetu Gupta

    Neetu Gupta, PhD

    Associate Professor
    Department of Molecular Medicine
    School of Medicine
    Member
    Immune Oncology Program
    Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

    Email: guptan@ccf.org

    Phone: 216.444.7455

  • Portrait of Betty Hamilton

    Betty K. Hamilton, MD

    Associate Professor
    Department of Medicine
    School of Medicine
    Member
    Immune Oncology Program
    Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

    Email: hamiltb2@ccf.org

    Phone: 216.445.7580

  • Dr. Clifford Harding

    Clifford V. Harding, MD, PhD

    Joseph R. Kahn Professor and Chair of Pathology
    Department of Pathology
    School of Medicine
    Interim Department Chair
    Department of Anatomy
    School of Medicine
    Professor
    Department of Anatomy
    School of Medicine
    Professor
    Department of Medicine
    School of Medicine
    Member
    Immune Oncology Program
    Case Comprehensive Cancer Center
    University Hospitals Distinguished Physician
    University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center

    Email: cvh3@case.edu

    Phone: 216.368.3611

  • Brian Hill

    Brian T. Hill, MD, PhD

    Associate Professor
    Department of Medicine
    School of Medicine
    Member
    Immune Oncology Program
    Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

    Email: hillb2@ccf.org

    Phone: 216.445.9451

  • Alex Huang headshot

    Alex Y.C. Huang, MD, PhD

    Professor
    Department of Pediatrics
    School of Medicine
    Professor
    Department of Pathology
    School of Medicine
    Co-Leader
    Immune Oncology Program
    Case Comprehensive Cancer Center
    Director
    Medical Scientist Training Program
    School of Medicine

    Email: alex.y.huang@case.edu

    Phone: 216.368.1271

  • Portrait of Deepa Jagadeesh

    Deepa Jagadeesh, MD

    Clinical Assistant Professor
    Department of Medicine
    School of Medicine
    Member
    Immune Oncology Program
    Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

    Email: jagaded@ccf.org

  • Babal Jha

    Babal Jha, PhD

    Adjunct Assistant Professor
    Department of Molecular Medicine
    School of Medicine
    Member
    Immune Oncology Program
    Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

    Email: jhab@ccf.org

    Phone: 216.445.9651

  • Suneel Kamath headshot

    Suneel Kamath, MD

    Assistant Professor
    Cleveland Clinic Taussig Cancer Institute
    Member
    Immune Oncology Program
    Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

  • Dr. David Kaplan

    David R. Kaplan, MD, PhD

    Professor Emeritus
    Department of Pathology
    School of Medicine
    Member
    Immune Oncology Program
    Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

    Email: drk5@case.edu

    Phone: 216.368.6590

  • Portrait of Jack Khouri

    Jack Khouri, MD

    Assistant Professor
    Department of Medicine
    Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine of Case Western Reserve University
    Member
    Immune Oncology Program
    Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

    Email: khourij@ccf.org

  • headshot of Byung-Gyu Kim

    Byung-Gyu Kim, PhD

    Instructor
    Department of Pediatrics
    School of Medicine
    Member
    Immune Oncology Program
    Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

    Email: bxk93@case.edu

  • Melissa Lumish headshot

    Melissa Lumish, MD

    Hematology and Oncology
    University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center
    Member
    Immune Oncology Program
    Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

  • Chao Ma headshot

    Chao Ma, PhD

    Assistant Staff
    Center for Immunotherapy and Precision Immuno-Oncology
    Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic
    Member
    Immune Oncology Program
    Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

    Email: mac7@ccf.org

  • headshot of Daniel McGrail

    Daniel J McGrail, PhD

    Assistant Staff
    Immunology
    Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic
    Member
    Immune Oncology Program
    Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

    Email: mcgraid@ccf.org

  • Dr. Edward Medof

    M. Edward Medof, MD, PhD

    Professor
    Department of Pathology
    School of Medicine
    Professor
    Department of Medicine
    School of Medicine
    Professor
    Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences
    School of Medicine
    Member
    Immune Oncology Program
    Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

    Email: m.medof@case.edu

    Phone: 216.368.5434

  • Joseph Melenhorst headshot

    Jan Joseph Melenhorst, PhD

    Director
    Cell Therapy and Immuno-Engineering
    Cleveland Clinic
    Vice Chair
    Immunotherapy and Precision Immuno-Oncology
    Cleveland Clinic
    Member
    Immune Oncology Program
    Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

    Email: melenhj@ccf.org

  • Leland Metheny headshot

    Leland Metheny, MD

    Assistant Professor
    Department of Medicine
    School of Medicine
    Member
    Immune Oncology Program
    Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

    Email: leland.metheny@UHhospitals.org

  • Dr. Howard Meyerson

    Howard J. Meyerson, MD

    Professor
    Department of Pathology
    School of Medicine
    Member
    Immune Oncology Program
    Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

    Email: howard.meyerson@case.edu

    Phone: 216.844.1848

  • Tyler Miller

    Tyler E. Miller, MD, PhD

    Assistant Professor
    Department of Pathology
    School of Medicine
    Member
    Immune Oncology Program
    Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

    Email: tymiller@case.edu

    Phone: 216.286.2807

  • Sudipto Mukherjee

    Sudipto Mukherjee, MD, MPH

    Clinical Assistant Professor
    Department of Medicine
    School of Medicine
    Member
    Immune Oncology Program
    Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

    Email: mukhers2@ccf.org

    Phone: 216.444.0506

  • Rebecca Obeng

    Rebecca Obeng, MD, PhD

    Assistant Professor
    Department of Pathology
    School of Medicine
    Member
    Immune Oncology Program
    Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

    Email: rebecca.obeng@case.edu

  • Pushpa Pandiyan

    Pushpa Pandiyan, PhD

    Associate Professor
    Biological Sciences
    School of Dental Medicine
    Member
    Immune Oncology Program
    Case Comprehensive Cancer Center
    Member
    Center for AIDS Research

    Email: pushpa.pandiyan@cwru.edu

    Phone: 216.368.2939

  • Reshmi Parameswaran headshot

    Reshmi Parameswaran, MS, PhD

    Associate Professor
    Department of Medicine
    School of Medicine
    Associate Professor
    Department of Pathology
    School of Medicine
    Associate Professor
    Department of Pediatrics
    School of Medicine
    Member
    Immune Oncology Program
    Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

    Email: rxp278@case.edu

    Phone: 216.368.5697

  • Portrait of Bhumika Patel

    Bhumika Patel, MD

    Member
    Immune Oncology Program
    Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

    Email: patelb3@ccf.org

    Phone: 216.444.8665

  • Portrait of Nathan Pennell

    Nathan A. Pennell, MD, PhD

    Professor
    Department of Medicine
    School of Medicine
    Deputy Associate Director for Clinical Research
    Case Comprehensive Cancer Center
    Member
    Immune Oncology Program
    Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

    Email: penneln@ccf.org

    Phone: 216.445.9282

  • Portrait of Brad Pohlman

    Brad L. Pohlman, MD

    Clinical Assistant Professor
    Department of Medicine
    School of Medicine
    Member
    Immune Oncology Program
    Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

    Email: pohlmab@ccf.org

    Phone: 216.445.6070

  • Rakhshanda Layeequr Rahman headshot

    Rakhshanda Layeequr Rahman, MD

    Executive Director
    MetroHealth Cancer Institute
    Professor
    Surgical Oncology
    School of Medicine
    Member
    Immune Oncology Program
    Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

    Email: rrahman2@metrohealth.org

  • Dr. Parameswaran Ramakrishnan

    Parameswaran Ramakrishnan, PhD, MS

    Associate Professor
    Department of Pathology
    School of Medicine
    Assistant Professor
    Department of Biochemistry
    School of Medicine
    Member
    Immune Oncology Program
    Case Comprehensive Cancer Center
    School of Medicine

    Email: pxr150@case.edu

    Phone: 216.368.2387

  • Portrait of Luke Rothermel

    Luke Rothermel, MD, MPH

    Clinical Assistant Professor
    Department of Surgery
    School of Medicine
    Member
    Immune Oncology Program
    Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

    Email: luke.rothermel@UHhospitals.org

  • Craig Sauter headshot

    Craig Sauter, MD

    Director
    Blood and Marrow Transplant Program
    Cleveland Clinic
    Member
    Immune Oncology Program
    Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

    Email: sauterc@ccf.org

  • headshot of Natalie Silver

    Natalie Silver, MD, MS, FACS

    Director
    Head and Neck Cancer Research
    Cleveland Clinic
    Member
    Immune Oncology Program
    Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

    Email: silvern@ccf.org

  • Nora Singer headshot

    Nora Singer, MD

    Professor
    Rheumatology
    MetroHealth Medical Center
    Member
    Immune Oncology Program
    Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

    Email: nsinger@metrohealth.org

  • Portrait of Ronald Sobecks

    Ronald M. Sobecks, MD

    Associate Professor
    Department of Medicine
    School of Medicine
    Member
    Immune Oncology Program
    Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

    Email: sobeckr@ccf.org

    Phone: 216.445.4626

  • Raghvendra Srivastava, PhD

    Raghvendra Srivastava, PhD

    Assistant Professor
    Department of Medicine
    Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine of Case Western Reserve University
    Member
    Immune Oncology Program
    Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

    Email: srivasr@ccf.org

  • William Tse in white labcoat

    William Tse, MD, MBA

    Clinical Professor
    Department of Medicine
    School of Medicine
    Member
    Immune Oncology Program
    Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

    Email: wtse@metrohealth.org

    Phone: 216.778.3845

  • Koen van Besien headshot

    Koen van Besien, MD, PhD

    Director
    Wesley Center for Immunotherapy
    University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center
    Division Chief
    Hematology and Cellular Therapy
    University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center
    Member
    Immune Oncology Program
    Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

    Email: koen.vanbesien@uhhospitals.org

  • Portrait of Kristen VanHeyst

    Kristen VanHeyst, DO

    Assistant Professor
    Department of Pediatrics
    School of Medicine
    Member
    Immune Oncology Program
    Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

    Email: kristen.vanheyst@UHhospitals.org

  • David Wald headshot

    David Wald, MD, PhD

    Professor
    Department of Pathology
    School of Medicine
    Co-Leader
    Immune Oncology Program
    Case Comprehensive Cancer Center
    Associate Director
    Medical Scientist Training Program
    School of Medicine

    Email: david.wald@case.edu

    Phone: 216.368.5668

  • Portrait of Li Lily Wang

    Li Lily Wang, PhD

    Clinical Associate Professor
    Department of Molecular Medicine
    School of Medicine
    Member
    Immune Oncology Program
    Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

    Email: wangl9@ccf.org

    Phone: 216.973.5628

  • headshot of Jianjun Wu

    Jianjun Wu, PhD

    Assistant Staff
    Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic
    Member
    Immune Oncology Program
    Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

    Email: WUJ9@ccf.org

  • Mei Zhang

    Mei Zhang, PhD

    Assistant Professor
    Department of Biomedical Engineering
    Case School of Engineering
    Member
    Immune Oncology Program
    Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

    Email: mei.zhang2@case.edu

    Phone: 216.844.3098

  • Liangliang (Lyons) Zhang

    Liangliang (Lyons) Zhang, PhD

    Assistant Professor
    Department of Population and Quantitative Health Sciences
    School of Medicine
    Member
    Immune Oncology Program
    Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

    Email: liangliang.zhang2@case.edu

    Phone: 216.368.5968

  • Chen Zhao

    Chen Zhao, MD, PhD

    Associate Professor
    Department of Pathology
    School of Medicine
    Member
    Immune Oncology Program
    Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

    Email: cxz545@case.edu

    Phone: 216.368.4712