Specializing In:
- Radiation-induced anti-tumor immunity
- Tumor-conditioned monocyte/macrophage plasticity
- Renal cell carcinoma
- Molecular determinants of intratumoral T cell infiltration
Research Interests:
- Dynamic imaging of T cell function
- Combinatorial approaches to improve immunotherapy
Positions
Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center
- Associate Professor of Oncology
- Co-Chair, Genitourinary Translational Research Group (TRG)
- Deputy Director, Graduate Studies
- Department of Immunology
Background
Education and Training
- 2013 - PhD - Biological Sciences, State University of New York at Buffalo
Professional Memberships
- The American Association of Immunologists
- Radiation Research Society
- American Urological Association
- Society for Basic Urologic Research
Honors & Awards
- 2021 - Chair, Radiation and Anti-tumor Immunity Session, Radiation Research Society
- 2019 - Chair, Understanding Immune Responses to Cancer, Upstate NY Immunology Conference
- 2018 - Early Career Investigator Travel Award, Radiation Research Society
- 2018 - Chair, Cell Therapies Session, Translational Research Cancer Centers Consortium
- 2014 - Best Poster, Northeastern Section of the American Urological Association
- 2013 - Travel award, Midwest Melanoma Partnership
- 2012 - The American Association of Immunologists Young Investigators Award, Upstate New York Immunology Conference
- 2012 - Junior Investigator Award, Translational Research Cancer Centers Consortium Meeting
- 2011 - 1st Place New Investigator Travel Award, Society for Thermal Medicine
Research Overview
The goal of my laboratory is to elucidate the molecular mechanisms that limit renal cell carcinoma patient responses to immunotherapy. The laboratory’s translational studies are concentrated on enhancing anti-tumor immunity through improved myeloid cell function and cytolytic T cell activity within renal cell carcinoma. Our laboratory’s findings from a pilot trial in metastatic renal cell carcinoma combining high-dose radiation of kidney tumors with surgical resection, provide a glimpse into the immune activating effects of radiation in human cancer. The laboratory’s most recent studies performed in collaboration with Dr. Scott Abrams shed light on the role key transcription factors at play in macrophage behavior and patient outcome.
View the Muhitch LabPublications
Full Publications list on PubMed
- Salgia NJ, Khan A, Aubrecht WM, Twoey GC, Chow J, Attwood K, Yu H, Chiello JL, Hansen N, Wasik BJ, Mercier BD, Ebrahimi H, Meza L, Maguire O, Mastri M, Whalen C, Minderman H, Pirrotte P, Byron S, Repasky EA, Singh PK, Bshara W, Wang J, McGray AJR, Abrams SI, Xu B, Eng KH, Long MD, Pal SK, Kauffman EC*, Muhitch JB*. Comprehensive tumor-immune profiling reveals mediators of paradoxical immune sensitivity in sarcomatoid renal cell carcinoma. In Press, Cancer Cell. PMID: 40780212; PMCID: PMC12338066. *Corresponding authors
- Salgia NJ, Aubrecht WM, Wang L, Ram B, Wasik BJ, Khan A, Attwood K, Daza J, Long MD, Eng KH, Xu B, Muhitch JB*, Kauffman EC*. Stratification of Patients with Renal Cell Carcinoma by the Abundance of Sarcomatoid Features Reveals Differences in Survival and the Underlying Pathobiology. European Urology Oncology. 2024 Oct;7(5):973-977. PMID: 38480032; PMCID: PMC11390971. *Corresponding authors
- Chow J, Khan A, Gaudieri M, Conway A, Soh K, Repasky EA, Schwaab T, Wallace PK, Abrams SI, Singh AK, Muhitch JB. Tumor and immune remodeling following radiotherapy in human renal cell carcinoma. Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer. 2023; 11:e006392. PMID: 37080610; PMCID: PMC10124322. JITC Digest, Editor’s choice, May, 2023. Highlighted in The ASCO Post, April, 2023.
- Chow J, Hoffend NC, Abrams SI, Schwaab T, Singh AK, Muhitch J. Radiation induces dynamic changes to the T cell repertoire in renal cell carcinoma patients. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 2020; Sep 22; 117(38): 23721-23729. PMID: 32900949; PMCID: PMC7519245.
- Muhitch JB, Hoffend NC, Azabdaftari G, Miller A, Bshara W, Morrison CD, Schwaab T, Abrams SI. Tumor-associated macrophage expression of interferon regulatory Factor-8 (IRF8) is a predictor of progression and patient survival in renal cell carcinoma. Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer. 2019; 7:155. PMID: 31221219; PMCID: PMC6585080. JITC Digest, Editor’s choice July 2019.