Name: Aliyah Weinstein
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Weinstein |
Title: Graduate Student Researcher
Employer: University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
When and why did you become a SITC member?
I’ve been a SITC member since this summer, though I
previously attended some satellite events organized by the society. As I am
thinking ahead to a career in the field of cancer immunotherapy, it only made
sense to join SITC to establish a stronger connection with the field and grow
my network.
Can you briefly explain the work you are doing in the field?
My current research focuses on the promotion of tertiary
lymphoid organogenesis in the tumor microenvironment. We recently published
that the cytokine IL-36 gamma can promote the formation of these structures
when introduced therapeutically into tumor-bearing mice, and I am currently
following up on these results in both human and mouse models of colorectal
cancer.
Who or what inspired you to choose this specific career path?
I have been interested in pursuing a career in cancer
research since high school. On the other hand, I had no sense of the field of
immunology until my senior year of college, when a series of unexpected
circumstances forced me to switch labs; I suddenly found myself analyzing the
humoral response to immunotherapy instead of the signaling biology I was used
to. Despite the surprise of ending up in the field of cancer immunotherapy, I
enjoyed the thought puzzle that the immune system still posed within the realm
of cancer biology, and decided from there to pursue my PhD in cancer
immunology.
What are some of the biggest challenges you are facing in the field?
I think the biggest challenge in cancer immunotherapy
currently is understanding how genetic differences in patients’ tumors and
immune cells affect their response to therapy. Now that immunotherapy has shown
success in some patients, I think the next big strides in the field will come
when we can understand why those patients respond while others do not.
What activities are you involved with outside of the lab?
During my time in grad school, I’ve had the privilege of
leading several student organizations on the University of Pittsburgh campus. I
also have been involved with the University administration, serving on
committees including Educational Policies and the University Council on
Graduate Studies. Off campus, I am on the administrative team of Letters to a Pre-Scientist, which
encourages students from underserved communities to pursue STEM careers. I also
enjoy studying languages, baking, and writing.
What topic(s) do you plan to write about for The Sentinel, SITC’s new blog?
I’m looking forward to covering colon cancer biology, as
well as basic research advances in immune cell circulation through the tumor
microenvironment.
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