# Do Tumor-Immune Interactions Prime Systemic Tolerance of Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Brain Metastases?

> **NIH NIH K99** · STANFORD UNIVERSITY · 2023 · $162,610

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY / ABSTRACT
 It is widely estimated that 90% of cancer-related deaths are caused by metastasis. This statistic underscores our
inability to manage cancer once it disseminates through the body, and our need to better understand molecular
mechanisms that drive metastasis. Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) occurs in 15% of breast cancer cases.
Taken as a group, TNBCs pose an unmet clinical challenge in many ways: (1) TNBCs represents the most aggressive
and most metastatic subtype of breast cancer, (2) up to 46% of TNBC patients will develop brain metastases, (3) TNBC
patients are at four-times higher risk of developing diffuse metastases on the brain surface (leptomeningeal disease),
which is rapidly and universally fatal, and (4) women of African ancestry have an up to 80% higher likelihood of
developing TNBC – making TNBC a cancer disparity. Previous studies demonstrate that primary TNBC is highly
immunogenic, and immune infiltration is associated with improved prognosis. However, little is known about the
immune environment in TNBC brain metastases and how tumor-immune interactions effect metastatic
potential. Recognizing these pressing issues, I have chosen to focus my career as an independent researcher on using
systems biology approaches to uncover molecular mechanisms that underlie metastasis, and ethnicity-specific cancer
disparities. A comprehensive mentoring, research, and career development plan will be executed over the course
of the K99 and R00 training periods, which will provide me with the necessary tools to make a successful
transition to independence.
 To visualize tumor-immune interactions, I will construct an in-situ protein map of TNBC brain metastases using
MIBI – a cutting-edge multiplexed imaging method (AIM 1). I will quantitate the composition and spatial architecture of
the microenvironment; and determine the extent to which these features correlate with patient outcomes. In AIM 2, I will
identify tumor-immune receptor-ligand pairs using single-cell RNA-sequencing on TNBC brain metastases samples.
Lastly, in AIM 3, I will use MIBI to visualize tumor-immune interactions in primary TNBCs to determine whether
interactions in the primary tumor microenvironment prime systemic tolerance of disseminated tumor cells, enabling brain
metastases. I will validate relevant targets by measuring their expression in patient cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), which
contains brain-tumor-associated cell-free RNA. My proposed research will positively impact public health as it will
reveal key tumor-immune interactions responsible for priming the immune system for metastasis; and will generate the
first “TNBC brain metastasis interactome”. My results will lead to the discovery of new molecular targets with the primary
goal of reducing metastasis-driven cancer mortality. The K99 career development plan and focused research
training will be critical to expand my skillset in biocomputation – a necessary component of my proposed researc...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10735596
- **Project number:** 3K99CA256522-02S1
- **Recipient organization:** STANFORD UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Maxine Umeh Garcia
- **Activity code:** K99 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2023
- **Award amount:** $162,610
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2021-07-01 → 2025-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10735596

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10735596, Do Tumor-Immune Interactions Prime Systemic Tolerance of Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Brain Metastases? (3K99CA256522-02S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10735596. Licensed CC0.

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