Description

System-Wide Order, from Disorder, at the Cancer-Immune Interface

Garry P. Nolan, Ph. D.

Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Baxter Laboratory for Stem Cell Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA

High parameter single cell analysis has driven deep understanding of immune processes.Using a next-generation single-cell “mass cytometry” platform we quantify surface and cytokine or drug responsive indices of kinase target with 45 or more parameter analysis (e.g. 45 antibodies, viability, nucleic acid content, and relative cell size). Similarly, we have developed two advanced technologies that enable deep phenotyping of solid tissue in both fresh frozen and FFPE formats (50 – 100 markers).We have recently extended this parameterization to mRNA with the capability to measure down to 5 molecules per cell in combination with any other set of previously created markers.

I will present evidence of deep internal order in immune functionality demonstrating that differentiation and immune activities have evolved with a definable “shape”. This shape is altered during immune surveillance and “imprinted” during, and after, pathogen attack, traumatic injury, or auto-immune disease.Hierarchies of functionally defined trans-cellular modules are observed that can be used for mechanistic and clinical insights. I will focus upon pathogen attack, traumatic surgical intervention in human, and auto-immune processes for the presentation.