The Munn Lab
David Munn, MD
Interim Director, Georgia Cancer Center
Professor, Pediatric Oncology
Co-Director, Pediatric Immunotherapy Program
Medical College of Georgia
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Jump to: Research SummaryImpact on Georgia patientsResearch Focus Research Interests Publications Team
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The David Munn Lab
Health Sciences Campus
1410 Laney Walker Blvd., CN-4156B3
(706) 721-7141
(706) 721-4804
Research Summary
Our research is focused on activating the body’s own immune system to fight cancer. We work on discovering the ways in which cancers suppress the immune system, and on identifying the molecular mechanisms that tumors use to escape from immune attack.
Along with our collaborators, we have developed new drugs and clinical strategies to activate the immune response against tumors and enlist the patients’ own immune system to enhance the effectiveness of conventional chemotherapy drugs and radiation. Target diseases include adult and pediatric solid tumors and brain tumors. Dr. Munn’s research is funded by the National Institutes of Health and support from charitable foundation donors.
Impact on Patients in Georgia
Our goal is to develop drugs that activate the body’s own immune system to enhance the effectiveness of standard chemotherapy and radiation treatments.
Results from our clinical trials are revealing that when the immune system is activated by the right kind of immunotherapy, then conventional chemotherapy and radiation can be used at modest, well-tolerated doses, and still achieve effectiveness better than either approach by itself.
The goal is to develop low-toxicity, well-tolerated outpatient regimens that do not require hospitalization, and provide patients with a good quality of life and return to activities such as school and work. Our clinical trials focus mainly on relapsed childhood brain tumors because the need for new treatments is so great in these children. But the same approaches can be applied to other childhood malignancies, and to adult tumors as well, so the potential impact is wide-ranging.
Research Focus
Our research focuses on tumor immunology and the molecular mechanisms of immune suppression and tolerance in the tumor microenvironment. The laboratory studies the regulation of anti-tumor T cell activation by tolerogenic dendritic cells and regulatory T cells (Tregs) in the setting of cancer.
Major focus areas in the laboratory include:
Research Interests
Immune Regulation & Tumor Tolerance
Basic-science studies of the indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) pathway in Tregs, including regulation of suppressor phenotype and reprogramming during inflammation. We also study how IDO-activated Tregs suppress immunogenic dendritic cells and support the development of small-molecule therapies.
Therapy-Induced Anti-Tumor Immunity
Basic and pre-clinical studies of immune response to dying tumor cells after chemotherapy; and synergy between conventional chemotherapy and novel forms of immunotherapy targeting Tregs and DCs.
Clinical Trials & Immune Monitoring
Design and immune-monitoring of Phase I and Phase II clinical trials of IDO-inhibitor drugs in combination with chemotherapy, radiation, BTK-inhibitor drugs and checkpoint inhibitors. These include first-in-children pediatric trials, in conjunction with the Pediatric Immunotherapy Service and Dr. Theodore Johnson.
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Lamorte, S., Quevedo, R., Jin, R., Neufeld, L., Liu, Z. Q., Ciudad, M. T., Lukhele, S., Bruce, J., Mishra, S., Zhang, X., Saeed, Z. K., Berman, H., Philpott, D. J., Girardin, S. E., Harding, S., , Mak, T. W., Karlsson, M. C. I., Brooks, D. G. & McGaha, T. L., May 12 2025, In: Cancer Cell. 43, 5, p. 955-969.e10 Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review |
Kyritsi, K., , Douglass, E., Yu, M., Fang, H., , , , & , Apr 5 2025, In: Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer. 13, 4, e011322. Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review |
Bhatt, B., Kumar, K., , Ganesan, D., Anazodo, F., Rathakrishnan, A., Zhu, H., Wanna, A., Jiang, C., Jayavelu, T., , , , Sheridan, B. S., , & , Mar 1 2025, In: Journal of immunology (Baltimore, Md. : 1950). 214, 3, p. 446-459 14 p. Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review |
Tsuboi, N., Rivera-Caraballo, K. A., Sahu, U., , Douglass, E., , , , , & , Mar 1 2025, In: Molecular cancer therapeutics. 24, 3, p. 444-452 9 p. Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review |
Kyritsi, K., Ye, J., Douglass, E., , Tsuboi, N., Otani, Y., , , & , Jan 1 2025, In: Neuro-Oncology Advances. 7, 1, vdaf080. Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review |
, Satpathy, S., , Chien, F., Huang, C., , Thomas, B. E., Smith, C., MacDonald, T. J., Kennedy, E. P., , Bhasin, M. K. & , Jun 2024, In: Journal of Clinical Oncology. 42, p. 2566 1 p. Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review |
, MacDonald, T. J., , Aguilera, D., Al-Basheer, A., Bajaj, M., Bandopadhayay, P., , Bouffet, E., Castellino, R. C., Dorris, K., Eaton, B. R., Esiashvili, N., Fangusaro, J. R., Foreman, N., Fridlyand, D., Giller, C., Heger, I. M., Huang, C. & Kadom, N. & 18 others, , Feb 1 2024, In: Neuro-Oncology. 26, 2, p. 348-361 14 p. Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review |
Eisa, N. H., Crowley, V. M., Elahi, A., Kommalapati, V. K., Serwetnyk, M. A., Llbiyi, T., Lu, S., Kainth, K., Jilani, Y., Marasco, D., El Andaloussi, A., Lee, S., Tsai, F. T. F., Rodriguez, P. C., , Celis, E., Korkaya, H., Debbab, A., Blagg, B. & , Dec 15 2023, In: iScience. 26, 12, 108308. Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review |
Klement, J. D., Redd, P. S., Lu, C., Merting, A. D., Poschel, D. B., Yang, D., , , , Fallon, P. G. & Liu, K., Mar 13 2023, In: Cancer Cell. 41, 3, p. 620-636.e9 Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review |
Satpathy, S., Thomas, B. E., Pilcher, W. J., Bakhtiari, M., Ponder, L. A., , Prahalad, S., Bhasin, S. S., & Bhasin, M. K., 2023, In: Frontiers in immunology. 14, 1271800. Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review |
Mandula, J. K., Chang, S., Mohamed, E., Jimenez, R., Sierra-Mondragon, R. A., Chang, D. C., Obermayer, A. N., Moran-Segura, C. M., Das, S., Vazquez-Martinez, J. A., Prieto, K., Chen, A., Smalley, K. S. M., Czerniecki, B., Forsyth, P., Koya, R. C., Ruffell, B., Cubillos-Ruiz, J. R., & Shaw, T. I. & 2 others, , Oct 10 2022, In: Cancer Cell. 40, 10, p. 1145-1160.e9 Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review |
Aboelella, N. S., Brandle, C., Okoko, O., Gazi, M. Y., Ding, Z. C., , Gorman, G., , Davila, M. L., , , Piazza, G. A. & , Jul 26 2022, In: Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer. 10, 7, e004938. Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review |
Thangavelu, G., Andrejeva, G., Bolivar-Wagers, S., Jin, S., Zaiken, M. C., Loschi, M., Aguilar, E. G., Furlan, S. N., Brown, C. C., Lee, Y. C., Hyman, C. M. D., Feser, C. J., Panoskaltsis-Mortari, A., Hippen, K. L., MacDonald, K. P., Murphy, W. J., Maillard, I., Hill, G. R., & Zeiser, R. & 5 others, , Jul 2022, In: Cellular and Molecular Immunology. 19, 7, p. 820-833 14 p. Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review |
Zaiken, M. C., Flynn, R., Paz, K. G., Rhee, S. Y., Jin, S., Mohamed, F. A., Saha, A., Thangavelu, G., Park, P. M. C., Hemming, M. L., Sage, P. T., Sharpe, A. H., DuPage, M., Bluestone, J. A., Panoskaltsis-Mortari, A., Cutler, C. S., Koreth, J., Antin, J. H., Soiffer, R. J. & Ritz, J. & 12 others, , May 12 2022, In: Blood. 139, 19, p. 2983-2997 15 p. Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review |
Jennings, M. R., & Blazeck, J., Oct 19 2021, In: Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer. 9, 10, e003013. Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review |
Sharma, M. D., , , , Zakharia, Y., Greco, A., Chang, C. S. S., Eathiraj, S., Kennedy, E., Cash, T., , , , McGaha, T. L., Rodriguez, P., Mandula, J., Blazar, B. R., & , Oct 12 2021, In: Immunity. 54, 10, p. 2354-2371.e8 Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review |
Zakharia, Y., McWilliams, R. R., Rixe, O., Drabick, J., Shaheen, M. F., Grossmann, K. F., , , , Tennant, L. L., Smith, C. M., Kennedy, E. P., Link, C. J., Vahanian, N. N., Yu, J., Shen, S. S., Brincks, E. L., Rossi, G. R., & Milhem, M., Jun 11 2021, In: Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer. 9, 6, e002057. Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review |
Thangavelu, G., Wang, C., Loschi, M., Saha, A., Osborn, M. J., Furlan, S. N., Aoyama, K., McDonald-Hyman, C., Aguilar, E. G., Janesick, A. S., Chandraratna, R. A., Refaeli, Y., Panoskaltsis-Mortari, A., MacDonald, K. P., Hill, G. R., Zeiser, R., Maillard, I., Serody, J. S., Murphy, W. J. & & 7 others, , Feb 25 2021, In: Blood. 137, 8, p. 1090-1103 14 p. Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review |
Yu, M., , Huang, L., Deng, L., Chang, C. S., Achyut, B. R., Canning, M., Xu, N., , , Rodriguez, P. C., Mellor, A. L., , & , Dec 1 2020, In: Nature communications. 11, 1, 515. Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review |
Ding, Z. C., , Aboelella, N. S., Fesenkova, K., Park, E. J., Liu, Z., Pei, L., Li, J., , , Piazza, G. A., Blazar, B. R., & , Oct 30 2020, In: Science immunology. 5, 52, aba5962. Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review |
Lu, C., Klement, J. D., Smith, A. D., Yang, D., Waller, J. L., , & Liu, K., Oct 13 2020, In: Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer. 8, 2, 230. Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review |
Ladomersky, E., Zhai, L., Lauing, K. L., Bell, A., Xu, J., Kocherginsky, M., Zhang, B., Wu, J. D., Podojil, J. R., Platanias, L. C., Mochizuki, A. Y., Prins, R. M., Kumthekar, P., Raizer, J. J., Dixit, K., Lukas, R. V., Horbinski, C., Wei, M., Zhou, C. & Pawelec, G. & 5 others, , Oct 1 2020, In: Clinical Cancer Research. 26, 19, p. 5232-5245 14 p. Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review |
Mohamed, E., Sierra, R. A., Trillo-Tinoco, J., Cao, Y., Innamarato, P., Payne, K. K., de Mingo Pulido, A., Mandula, J., Zhang, S., Thevenot, P., Biswas, S., Abdalla, S. K., Costich, T. L., Hänggi, K., Anadon, C. M., Flores, E. R., Haura, E. B., Mehrotra, S., Pilon-Thomas, S. & Ruffell, B. & 4 others, , Apr 14 2020, In: Immunity. 52, 4, p. 668-682.e7 Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review |
Artham, S., Verma, A., Alwhaibi, A., Adil, M. S., , & Somanath, P. R., Apr 2020, In: American Journal of Physiology - Lung Cellular and Molecular Physiology. 318, 4, p. L750-L761 Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review |
Thangavelu, G., Du, J., Paz, K. G., Loschi, M., Zaiken, M. C., Flynn, R., Taylor, P. A., Kirchmeier, A. K., Panoskaltsis-Mortari, A., Luznik, L., MacDonald, K. P., Hill, G. R., Maillard, I., , Serody, J. S., Murphy, W. J., Miklos, D., Cutler, C. S., Koreth, J. & Antin, J. H. & 5 others, , 2020, In: Blood. 135, 1, p. 28-40 13 p. Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review |
Cao, Y., Trillo-Tinoco, J., Sierra, R. A., Anadon, C., Dai, W., Mohamed, E., Cen, L., Costich, T. L., Magliocco, A., Marchion, D., Klar, R., Michel, S., Jaschinski, F., Reich, R. R., Mehrotra, S., Cubillos-Ruiz, J. R., , Conejo-Garcia, J. R. & Rodriguez, P. C., Dec 1 2019, In: Nature communications. 10, 1, 1280. Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review |
Cao, Y., Trillo-Tinoco, J., Sierra, R. A., Anadon, C., Dai, W., Mohamed, E., Cen, L., Costich, T. L., Magliocco, A., Marchion, D., Klar, R., Michel, S., Jaschinski, F., Reich, R. R., Mehrotra, S., Cubillos-Ruiz, J. R., , Conejo-Garcia, J. R. & Rodriguez, P. C., Dec 1 2019, In: Nature communications. 10, 1, 3680. Research output: Contribution to journal › Comment/debate › peer-review |
Halaby, M. J., Hezaveh, K., Lamorte, S., Ciudad, M. T., Kloetgen, A., MacLeod, B. L., Guo, M., Chakravarthy, A., Da Silva Medina, T., Ugel, S., Tsirigos, A., Bronte, V., , Pugh, T. J., De Carvalho, D. D., Butler, M. O., Ohashi, P. S., Brooks, D. G. & McGaha, T. L., Dec 2019, In: Science immunology. 4, 42, eaax8189. Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review |
Koehn, B. H., Saha, A., McDonald-Hyman, C., Loschi, M., Thangavelu, G., Ma, L., Zaiken, M., Dysthe, J., Krepps, W., Panthera, J., Hippen, K., Jameson, S. C., Miller, J. S., Cooper, M. A., Farady, C. J., Iwawaki, T., Ting, J. P. Y., Serody, J. S., Murphy, W. J. & Hill, G. R. & 5 others, , Nov 7 2019, In: Blood. 134, 19, p. 1670-1682 13 p. Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review |
Paz, K., Flynn, R., Du, J., Tannheimer, S., Johnson, A. J., Dong, S., Stark, A. K., Okkenhaug, K., Panoskaltsis-Mortari, A., Sage, P. T., Sharpe, A. H., Luznik, L., Ritz, J., Soiffer, R. J., Cutler, C. S., Koreth, J., Antin, J. H., Miklos, D. B., MacDonald, K. P. & Hill, G. R. & 10 others, , Jun 2019, In: American Journal of Transplantation. 19, 6, p. 1820-1830 11 p. Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review |
Thangavelu, G., Lee, Y. C., Loschi, M., Melanie Schaechter, K., Feser, C. J., Koehn, B. H., Nowak, E. C., Zeiser, R., Serody, J. S., Murphy, W. J., , Chambon, P., Noelle, R. J. & Blazar, B. R., May 1 2019, In: Journal of Immunology. 202, 9, p. 2795-2805 11 p. Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review |
Saha, A., Taylor, P. A., Lees, C. J., Panoskaltsis-Mortari, A., Osborn, M. J., Feser, C. J., Thangavelu, G., Melchinger, W., Refaeli, Y., Hill, G. R., , Murphy, W. J., Serody, J. S., Maillard, I., Kreymborg, K., van den Brink, M., Dong, C., Huang, S., Zang, X. & Allison, J. P. & 2 others, , 2019, In: JCI Insight. 4, 19, e127716. Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review |
McDonald-Hyman, C., Muller, J. T., Loschi, M., Thangavelu, G., Saha, A., Kumari, S., Reichenbach, D. K., Smith, M. J., Zhang, G., Koehn, B. H., Lin, J., Mitchell, J. S., Fife, B. T., Panoskaltsis-Mortari, A., Feser, C. J., Kirchmeier, A. K., Osborn, M. J., Hippen, K. L., Kelekar, A. & Serody, J. S. & 6 others, , Oct 1 2018, In: Journal of Clinical Investigation. 128, 10, p. 4604-4621 18 p. Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review |
, Sharma, M. D. & , Sep 15 2018, In: Cancer Research. 78, 18, p. 5191-5199 9 p. Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review |
Habtetsion, T., Ding, Z.-C., Pi, W., Li, T., Lu, C., Chen, T., , Spartz, H., Liu, K., Hao, Z., , Huo, Y., Blazar, B. R., & , Aug 7 2018, In: Cell Metabolism. 28, 2, p. 228-242.e6 Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review |
, Hao, Z., , Dobbins, R., Marshall, L., Vahanian, N. N., Jay Ramsey, W., Kennedy, E., Mautino, M. R., Link, C. J., Lin, R. S., Royer-Joo, S., Liang, X., Salphati, L., Morrissey, K. M., Mahrus, S., McCall, B., Pirzkall, A., & Janik, J. E. & 1 others, , Jun 20 2018, In: Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer. 6, 1, 61. Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review |
Shinde, R., Hezaveh, K., Halaby, M. J., Kloetgen, A., Chakravarthy, A., Da Silva Medina, T., Deol, R., Manion, K. P., Baglaenko, Y., Eldh, M., Lamorte, S., Wallace, D., Chodisetti, S. B., Ravishankar, B., Liu, H., Chaudhary, K., , Tsirigos, A., Madaio, M. & Gabrielsson, S. & 4 others, , Jun 1 2018, In: Nature Immunology. 19, 6, p. 571-582 12 p. Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review |
, Feb 1 2018, In: Journal of Clinical Investigation. 128, 2, p. 570-572 3 p. Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review |
Sharma, M. D., Rodriguez, P. C., Koehn, B. H., , , , Shimoda, M., , , Lee, E. J., , , , Mergoub, T., Venable, C., Bronte, V., Wolchok, J. D., Blazar, B. R. & , Jan 16 2018, In: Immunity. 48, 1, p. 91-106.e6 Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review |
Hippen, K. L., O'Connor, R. S., Lemire, A. M., Saha, A., Hanse, E. A., Tennis, N. C., Merkel, S. C., Kelekar, A., Riley, J. L., Levine, B. L., June, C. H., Turka, L. A., Kean, L. S., MacMillan, M. L., Miller, J. S., Wagner, J. E., & Blazar, B. R., Dec 2017, In: American Journal of Transplantation. 17, 12, p. 3098-3113 16 p. Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review |
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Research Team
