Brent A. Hanks
Brent A. Hanks

Brent A. Hanks

Associate Professor of Medicine

Overview

We are interested in understanding the mechanisms that cancers have evolved to suppress the generation of tumor antigen-specific immune responses and how this knowledge can be exploited for the development of novel and more effective cancer immunotherapy strategies. This work involves the utilization of both autochthonous transgenic tumor model systems as well as clinical specimens to develop novel strategies to enhance the efficacy of immunotherapies while also developing predictive biomarkers to better guide the management of cancer patients with these agents. We strive to translate our understanding of the fundamental biochemical and metabolic pathways within the tumor microenvironment that are critical for driving immune evasion and resistance into early phase clinical trial testing.

Our work utilizes a variety of techniques and methodologies that span the breadth of basic biological research. This work integrates studies based on both 1) transgenic mouse tumor models that are monitored using bioluminescence and micro-CT imaging and 2) a variety of clinical specimens.

Our current areas of focus include:

  1. Investigating mechanisms of adaptive or acquired immunotherapy resistance in cancer
  2. Studying the relationship between EMT pathways and immunotherapy resistance.
  3. Elucidating mechanisms of dendritic cell tolerization in the tumor microenvironment and how these processes may contribute to immunotherapy resistance
  4. Development of novel pharmacologic and genetic strategies to overcome immunotherapy resistance
  5. Investigating mechanisms contributing to select immunotherapy-associated toxicities

Positions

Associate Professor of Medicine in the School of Medicine

2020 School of Medicine

Assistant Professor of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology in the School of Medicine

2018 School of Medicine

Member of the Duke Cancer Institute in the School of Medicine

2013 School of Medicine

Education

Ph.D. 2004

2004 Baylor, College of Medicine

M.D. 2006

2006 Baylor, College of Medicine

Internship and Residency, INTERNAL MEDICINE

2008 Duke University, School of Medicine

Fellowship, HEMATOLOGY/ONCOLOGY

2012 Duke University, School of Medicine

Publications, Grants & Awards

DCI Centers, Cancer Types & Labs

Offices & Contact

308 Research Drive
Durham, NC
27708
LSRC, Box 91004
Durham, NC
27708