Holder Laboratory

Dr. Holder received her Department of Defense Melanoma Academy Scholar Award to examine the role of macrophages, a type of immune cell, in melanoma progression and to determine how they promote the spread of primary tumor cells to lymph nodes. Preliminary data show that there is a correlation between a higher prevalence of macrophages in lymph nodes and increased incidence of metastatic disease. Dr. Holder is testing the hypothesis that macrophages promote metastasis through lymph nodes by altering the tumor draining lymph node environment. She is also exploring the hypothesis that macrophages that travel from the primary tumor to the lymph node can alter gene expression in lymph node immune cells to downregulate the immune system, thereby promoting metastasis. Dr. Holder hopes to apply the outcomes of this project to develop a therapeutic that would be injected into the tumor before surgical resection to prevent macrophage migration to lymph nodes, which could eliminate metastases and potentially lead to increased survival of melanoma patients.

In the Multi-PI R01, Dr. Holder and her co-PI’s are studying the impact of gut microbes in early-stage melanoma, with the goal of developing next-generation therapeutic strategies to better treat, intercept and ultimately prevent melanoma.