Research publications
New lamprey immune receptor reveals evolutionary roots of adaptive immunity
A team of researchers including Sabyasachi Das, assistant professor of pathology in the Emory School of Medicine, recently uncovered a previously unknown immune receptor in lampreys, offering new insight into the origins of adaptive immunity. While jawed animals rely on immunoglobulins and T-cell receptors, jawless vertebrates such as lampreys use newly discovered Variable Lymphocyte Receptors (VLRs) built from leucine-rich repeats, protein structures with repeated sequences of the amino acids known as leucines.
In work published in Nature Communications, Das and colleagues found that the newly discovered receptor known as VLRF is generated through unique DNA rearrangements and expressed by a distinct subset of T-like cells. Emerging more than 250 million years ago and conserved across lamprey species, VLRF broadens the immune diversity of lampreys and highlights evolutionary parallels with T cell immunity in humans.
Citation: Das, S., et al. (2025). Variable lymphocyte receptor F is generated via somatic diversification and expressed by lamprey T-like cells. Nature Communications, 16(1), 1-15.
New technique identifies potential treatment targets in hard-to-treat cancers
As cells divide, they are susceptible to a disruption in copying their DNA, leading to abnormalities that can become cancer. Now, Winship Cancer Institute researcher Kyle M. Miller, professor of radiation oncology, and colleagues have developed a new technique to identify and potentially block the proteins that cause this copy failure, publishing their findings in Molecular Cell.
The new technique, called BLOCK-ID, allows scientists to engineer and identify a specific location in cancer cells that blocks normal cell replication, causing replication stress. The researchers are then able to read the signal to identify which proteins are associated specifically with the site of these blocks, called replication forks. Miller and his team identified these proteins, along with a new protein, called TRIM24, and three other proteins involved in Alternative Lengthening of Telomeres (ALT) cancers, which are particularly hard to treat.
Future work will test these potential targets in osteosarcoma, glioblastoma and pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors, which could provide benefits to patients with these hard-to-treat cancers.
Citation: Kim, D., et al. (2025). TRIM24 directs replicative stress responses to maintain ALT telomeres via chromatin signaling. Molecular Cell.
Unlikely duo: T cells and B cells partner to fight solid tumors
A research team at Winship Cancer Institute has discovered that two types of immune cells — T helper 17 (Th17) cells and B cells — can work in concert to spark long-lasting protection against solid tumors. Their findings, published in Cancer Cell, show that Th17 immune cells, delivered as a therapy, rely on the body’s own B cells to provide lasting protection against cancer, an unexpected immune partnership that could reshape how cancer is treated.
Led by Winship researcher Chrystal Paulos, professor of surgery, the study shows that cancer-targeted Th17 cells, generated in the lab, can eliminate tumors and prevent recurrence — but only when B cells are present to help. The findings also open new therapeutic possibilities for people with weakened B cell function, such as those undergoing chemotherapy or living with immune deficiencies. Research is ongoing to identify the specific cancer targets that trigger this two-cell immune response, paving the way for more personalized and long-lasting cancer immunotherapies.
Citation: Cole, A. C., et al. (2025). Adoptively transferred Th17 cells cooperate with host B cells to achieve durable tumor immunity. Cancer Cell.
Associations among HPV persistence, the vaginal microbiome and cervical cancer recurrence
Following chemoradiation treatment, up to 35% of cervical cancer survivors face a recurrence of the disease within two years, with 40%-60% continuing to carry human papillomavirus (HPV), the primary cause of cervical cancer. An Emory-led research team conducted a long-term study to investigate the associations among the vaginal microbiome, HPV persistence, cancer recurrence and outcomes in cervical cancer survivors who completed chemoradiation treatment.
The study, recently published in the Journal of Translational Medicine, was conducted by a team including Despoina Tsementzi, director of research projects in the School of Nursing, and Winship Cancer Institute researcher Deborah Watkins Bruner, professor of nursing and radiation oncology.
The research team evaluated 49 women treated for Stage IB-IIIC cervical cancer, collecting samples before and at several times after their treatment, as well as monitoring for cancer recurrence up to four years post-treatment. Among study participants, the vaginal microbiome was notably diverse and dominated by Prevotella species. In follow-up samples, high-risk HPV was detected in about 42% of women, indicating that HPV persisted after treatment.
The findings identify a link between Prevotella-dominant, highly diverse vaginal microbiome communities and both persistent high-risk HPV and cervical cancer recurrence. The researchers propose that modulating the vaginal microbiome with probiotics or other methods could be considered a novel approach to improve cervical cancer treatment outcomes.
Citation: Tsementzi D et al. Associations among HPV persistence, the vaginal microbiome, and cervical cancer recurrence. J Transl Med. 2025 Aug 1;23(1):858. doi: 10.1186/s12967-025-06811-w. PMID: 40750891; PMCID: PMC12317609.
Emory researchers help uncover early Alzheimer’s risk markers in adults with Down syndrome
A team including Emory neuroscientist Erik Johnson recently discovered that adults with Down syndrome (DS) may experience a distinct form of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) — one that appears earlier and involves different biological pathways than other types of the disease. The multi-year international study, conducted through the Down Alzheimer Barcelona Neuroimaging Initiative (DABNI), analyzed spinal fluid from 229 individuals with Down syndrome to identify how Alzheimer’s progresses from early stages to dementia. These results were compared to individuals with late-onset Alzheimer’s (LOAD) and a rare genetic form of the disease called autosomal dominant AD (ADAD).
In research published in Nature Communications, the team found people with Down syndrome showed more severe changes in immune system proteins, the extracellular matrix and blood-brain barrier function — even before amyloid or tau markers appeared. These early changes may be driven by trisomy 21, the extra chromosome that causes Down syndrome. Individuals with Down syndrome also experienced earlier signs of nerve fiber damage and blood vessel-related brain changes compared to other Alzheimer’s populations.
“This research shows us that Alzheimer’s disease in people with Down syndrome is not the same as in other populations,” says Johnson, assistant professor in the School of Medicine and lead U.S. investigator for the study. “That means we may need to have special considerations in how we detect, treat and ultimately prevent AD in this patient population.”
The study reinforces the importance of early screening and specialized care strategies for adults with Down syndrome, who are at significantly higher risk of developing Alzheimer’s as they age.
Citation: Montoliu-Gaya, L., et al. (2025). Proteomic analysis of Down syndrome cerebrospinal fluid compared to late-onset and autosomal dominant Alzheimer´s disease. Nature Communications, 16(1), 6003.
New study links blood proteins to Alzheimer’s disease and memory loss
Researchers at Emory Goizueta Brain Health Institute and partner institutions have found new clues in the blood that could help explain why Alzheimer’s disease develops and how it affects memory.
The study, published in Nature Aging, examined blood samples from more than 2,100 individuals across four research cohorts. Using advanced tools, scientists measured thousands of proteins in the blood and linked them to changes in the brain and thinking ability. Traditionally, doctors have focused on sticky amyloid plaques in the brain as a hallmark of Alzheimer’s, but the new research shows that many other processes are also at play.
The team found that proteins related to the immune system, protein disposal, energy use and the body’s support structure (called the extracellular matrix) were tied to memory and thinking problems. Not all these changes could be explained by known Alzheimer’s brain changes, suggesting that factors outside the brain, such as processes in blood and other organs, may contribute to the disease.
“Many of the proteins we found in blood are not directly tied to what we see in the brain after death,” said Erik Johnson, senior author and researcher at Emory Goizueta Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center. “This means that what’s happening in the rest of the body could play a role in Alzheimer’s risk and how fast the disease progresses.”
The findings may open the door to new treatments that work by targeting these blood-based pathways, rather than trying to deliver drugs directly into the brain. The work also supports the idea of using blood tests as an easier, less invasive way to study and track Alzheimer’s disease in the future.
Citation: Afshar, S., et al. Plasma proteomic associations with Alzheimer’s disease endophenotypes. Nat Aging (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s43587-025-00965-4
Grants and awards
Winship Cancer Institute researcher awarded U01 grant to study brain imaging tools
Satish E. Viswanath, associate professor of pediatrics and biomedical engineering, was recently awarded a three-year, $1.16 million U01 grant from the National Cancer Institute. His project, in collaboration with Pallavi Tiwari of the University of Wisconsin, Madison, will develop a new image informatics toolkit with the goal of systematically overcoming challenges in developing image-based, companion-prognostic tools for pediatric brain tumors.
The project will develop and disseminate critically needed AI tools for cohort curation, annotation and prognostic modeling, with large-scale validation on a clinical trial cohort from the Children's Brain Tumor Network. This work represents an important step to enable better personalized treatment options and improve outcomes in children with brain tumors.
Nursing faculty member awarded R03 grant to study cancer cachexia
Ronald Eldridge, assistant professor in the School of Nursing, has received an NIH R03 grant from the National Cancer Institute to investigate the biological drivers of cancer cachexia — a debilitating condition marked by severe weight loss, muscle wasting, inflammation and fatigue, affecting up to 80% of patients with advanced cancer. Eldridge’s research will employ cutting-edge multi-omics tools to identify early disruptions contributing to cachexia in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. This work holds promise for earlier detection and potentially life-saving interventions.
Nursing faculty member awarded NIDA R03 grant to support research on inflammation and HIV
Nick Metheny, assistant professor in the School of Nursing, has been awarded an R03 grant from the National Institute on Drug Abuse. In collaboration with Cassie Grimsley Ackerley, assistant professor in the School of Medicine, the team will explore a novel, non-invasive method of collecting biomarkers through sweat to better understand inflammation in people living with HIV. This innovative approach could revolutionize how inflammatory biomarkers are collected and studied.
Nursing PhD student receives Georgia CTSA predoctoral fellowship
Hayden Herring, a PhD student at the School of Nursing, has been awarded the Georgia Clinical and Translational Science Alliance (CTSA) TL1 Predoctoral Fellowship. The fellowship will support his research on the impact of stress on families caring for loved ones with heart failure or dementia. The TL1 program provides mentored research, coursework and other support for predoctoral and postdoctoral trainees at Georgia CTSA partner institutions, including Emory, and is designed for those pursuing careers in clinical and/or translational research relevant to human health.