Justin Huang
Immunotherapy (IO) has made great strides in combating metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), but patients with tumors that elicit weak immune responses (“immunogenically cold”) often derive little benefit from IO. We investigated the hypothesis that radiation followed by immunotherapy would stimulate greater systemic immune responses than immunotherapy alone in patients with immunogenically cold metastatic NSCLC. By studying pre- and post- treatment tumor biopsies from non-irradiated sites and peripheral blood samples, we confirmed this hypothesis. The increased systemic immune upregulation observed in patients receiving radio-immunotherapy also correlated with improved clinical response. This suggests that radio- immunotherapy is a promising avenue of treatment for these patients, and that clinical trials should investigate the use of pre-IO radiation in patients with immunogenically cold NSCLC. This research was performed in the lab of Dr. Valsamo Anagnostou.
Questions & Answers
Why did you choose Johns Hopkins for your work?
Johns Hopkins has many opportunities to pursue translational research employing bioinformatic and traditional basic science analyses, particularly in the realm of oncology. Prior to starting medical school, this was the exact type of research I hoped to pursue.
What does receiving this award mean to you personally and professionally? Do you have any connection with the particular award you received?
With my research background in oncology, it is an honor to receive an award in the name of Dr. Paul Ehrlich, a pioneer in chemotherapy. I am incredibly grateful for this opportunity and honored to be part of a group of scholars seeking to push the frontier of biomedical research.
What contributed to your project’s success?
I am immensely grateful for the help from so many members of our lab group in contributing to this project’s success. The support I received from my mentor (Dr. Anagnostou) and many collaborators (Willemijn Theelen, Zineb Belcaid, Mimi Najjar, Daphne van der Geest, Dipika Singh, Christopher
Cherry, Archana Balan, James White, Jaime Wehr, Noushin Niknafs and many others) was invaluable. They taught me the value of combining expertise from biology, bioinformatics and clinical medicine to discover knowledge that may shape the future of clinical practice.
What thoughts do you have about Young Investigators’ Day itself, as a celebration of the roles students and fellows play in research at Johns Hopkins?
I am extremely excited for the day itself! It will be fascinating to learn about the research conducted by other passionate researchers at Johns Hopkins.
What has been your best/most memorable experience while at Johns Hopkins?
Singing a cappella music with the Synaptic Clefs!
What are your plans for the next year or so? Graduating, looking for faculty positions, etc.?
I will be attending internal medicine residency at UCSF.
Tell me something interesting about yourself that makes you unique. Do you have any special hobbies, interests or life experiences?
I love to sing and beatbox, and I co-founded the medical community’s a cappella group (The Synaptic Clefs) in 2021.