Matthew Proefke

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is an extremely aggressive disease often driven by mutations that promote cell growth and invasion. Cancer cells with these driver mutations secrete proteins that hinder neighboring immune cells, feed nearby tumor cells, and embed the tumor within lung tissue. Together, these secreted factors encourage drug resistance and help the tumor evade immune detection, highlighting the need for new treatment strategies.

To understand how NSCLC hijacks the lung environment, I aim to uncover the key protein signals that shape interactions between tumor and immune cells. Using this insight, I will develop a novel protein-based therapy that reprograms these signals to empower immune cells and improve responses to existing treatments.