INTEGRATIVE ANALYSES OF MICROBIOTA, ENVIRONMENT, TUMOR, AND IMMUNITY FOR PRECISION MEDICINE

Shuji Ogino

Dept. of Pathology, Brigham & Women's Hospital (BWH), Harvard Medical School, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 221 Longwood Ave. EBRC Room 404A, Boston, MA 02115 USA

Abstract

Any disease state including neoplasm represents fundamentally heterogeneous pathological processes due to cellular and molecular alterations and influences of the exposome (including the microbiome) and the immune system. To address this, the integrative scientific field of Molecular Pathological Epidemiology (MPE) can investigate influences of the exposome (microbial, dietary, lifestyle, environmental, pharmacological, and other exposures) on tumor-immune interactions, thereby informing immunoprevention and immunotherapy research. Using over 1500 colorectal cancer cases with rich data on immune response, whole exome sequencing of tumor and normal DNA, tumor neoantigens, tissue microorganisms (e.g., Fusobacterium Nucleatum), and clinical outcomes, our proof-of-principle microbiology-immuno-MPE studies have shown that several cancer risk factors appear to influence carcinogenic processes through their influences on tumor-microbial-immune interactions. These new research paradigms can provide possible paths for precision prevention and therapy.

Keywords: Adhesion, inter-particle bonding, wood pellets.