Public lecture as part of the search for a Professor in Pathology

Abstract: Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death worldwide. Using a translational research approach combining mouse models and human patient material, my laboratory investigates the mechanisms governing the development of lung cancer, focusing recently on the role played by neutrophils. This is important, as the functions of these innate immune cells – crucial for the host response to microbial infections – have been neglected in cancer. Thus, understanding their alterations in signaling and metabolism, and their functional diversities in malignancy could lead to the identification of new vulnerabilities and, consequently, to the development of new precision therapies. Overall, we are convinced that targeting the innate immune component of tumors could be exploited to disrupt malignant growth and improve the efficacy of current therapies.