Research: My thesis research focuses on defining how T cell receptor (TCR) biophysical properties, in particular affinity and bond lifetime under force, govern CD8+ T cell persistence and exhaustion resistance in PDAC. Leveraging our lab’s T cell receptor exchange (TRex) mouse platform, I am characterizing four distinct TCR clonotypes with varying affinities for a model tumor antigen. By coupling single-cell RNA sequencing, spectral flow cytometry, and in vivo tumor models, my work aims to uncover the mechanistic links between TCR biomechanics and therapeutic outcomes.
Publications:
1. “Beyond the Naive Repertoire.” Grant Hickok and Ingunn Stromnes. Science. 2025
2. "IL-15 Complex Enhances Agonistic Anti-CD40 + Anti-PDL1 by Correcting the T-bet to Tox Ratio in CD8+ T cells Infiltrating Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma." Schmiechen ZC, Nanda HA, Burrack AL, Hickok GH, Butler JZ, Cruz-Hinojoza E, Maurice NJ, Geuenich MJ, Yu C, Tsai AK, Lonetree CL, Ellefson MA, Hilk AL, Larsen BM, Miller EA, Rizzo AB, Campbell KR, Shen SS, Stromnes IM. Cancer Immunol Res., 2025.
3. “Tumor specific CD4 T cells instruct monocyte fate in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.” Michael T. Patterson, Adam L. Burrack, Yingzheng Xu, Grant H Hickok, Zoe C. Schmiechen, Samuel Becker, Eduardo Cruz-Hinojoza, Patricia R. Schrank, Ainsley E. Kennedy, Maria M. Firulyova, Ebony A. Miller, Konstantin Zaitsev, Marc K. Jenkins, Jesse W. Williams, and Ingunn M. Stromnes. Cell Reports, 2023.
4. "Trem2 Promotes Foamy Macrophage Lipid Uptake and Survival in Atherosclerosis" Michael Patterson, Maria Firulyova, Yingzheng Xu, Hannah Hillman, Courtney Bishop, Alisha Zhu, Grant Hickok, Patricia Schrank, Christine Ronayne, Zakariya Caillot, Gavin Fredrickson, Ainsley Kennnedy, Nisha Acharya, Jaap Neels, Giulia Chinetti, Xavier Revelo, Dr Ingunn Stromnes, Stoyan Ivanov, Dr Tyler Bold, Mr Konstantin Zaitsev. Nature Cardiovascular Research, 2023.
