Investigator Profile: Venu G. Pillarisetty, MD, FACS
Venu G. Pillarisetty, MD, FACS
Professor, Division of General Surgery
Principal Investigator, UW Tumor Immune Microenvironment (TIME) Lab
The goal of the UW TIME Lab is to develop a precise understanding of the nature of the adaptive immune response to solid tumors, in order to develop effective immunotherapies. While much of our work focuses on pancreatic and colorectal carcinoma, we are particularly interested in shedding light on aspects of tumor biology that reach across many tumor types. Our central goal is to address is how the immunosuppressive microenvironment created by solid tumors can be altered to enable reactivation of endogenous T cell responses. In concert with this work, we are also finding that adoptively transferred T cells (e.g. CAR-T cells) are subject to similar mechanisms of immunosuppression in the TIME.
Arezou Abbasi, Senior Fellow
Cindy Hsu, Research Technician
Xiuyun Jiang, Research Scientist
Karan Kohli, Acting Instructor
Nick Crispe
Professor of Pathology
Adjunct Professor of Immunology
University of Washington
Albert Folch
Professor of Engineering
University of Washington
Taran Gujral
Assistant Professor
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center
Steven Katz
Chairman, Immuno-oncology Institute (Ix2)
Chief, Immunotherapy Service, Department of Medicine
Associate Professor of Surgery
Roger Williams Medical Center
Teresa Kim
Assistant Professor of Surgery
Co-PI, UW TIME Lab
University of Washington
Jonathan Liu
Associate Professor, Mechanical Engineering
Adjunct Associate Professor, Bioengineering
Adjunct Associate Professor, Laboratory Medicine and Pathology
University of Washington
Joshua Veatch
Acting Instructor, Department of Medicine
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center
University of Washington
Raymond Yeung
Professor of Surgery
University of Washington
Department of Defense - United States Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity
Novel Therapeutics for Fibrolamellar Carcinoma
NIH 1R01CA181445-06
Interrogating the response of the tumor microenvironment to combination immunotherapy using a microfluidic platform
Fibrolamellar Cancer Foundation
Modulating stromal-immune cell interactions to activate anti-tumor immunity to fibrolamellar carcinoma
Ipsen Biopharmaceuticals
A Phase II Trial of Lanreotide for the Prevention of Postoperative Pancreatic Fistula
NGM Biopharmaceuticals
Modulating myeloid cells in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma and microsatellite-stable colorectal cancer
Merck Investigator Studies Program
Defining and overcoming mechanisms of resistance to pembrolizumab in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma and microsatellite-stable colorectal cancer
Seattle Translational Tumor Research (STTR)
Defining the response of tumor slice cultures to chemotherapy and immunotherapy
AstraZeneca
Tumor slice culture evaluation of glypican-3-targeted CAR-T cells against hepatocellular carcinoma
Brotman Baty Institute for Precision Medicine
Identification and characterization of tumor-specific T cells in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma
Brotman Baty Institute for Precision Medicine
Defining the single cell transcriptomic response to immunotherapy using tumor slice cultures
- Shah MH, Goldner WS, Benson AB, Bergsland E, Blaszkowsky LS, Brock P, Chan J, Das S, Dickson PV, Fanta P, Giordano T, Halfdanarson TR, Halperin D, He J, Heaney A, Heslin MJ, Kandeel F, Kardan A, Khan SA, Kuvshinoff BW, Lieu C, Miller K, …Pillarisetty V, et al. Neuroendocrine and Adrenal Tumors, Version 2.2021, NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology. J Natl Compr Canc Netw. 2021 Jul 28;19(7):839-868. doi: 10.6004/jnccn.2021.0032. PubMed [citation] PMID: 34340212
- Nessim C, Raut CP, Callegaro D, Barretta F, Miceli R, Fairweather M, Blay JY, Strauss D, Rutkowski P, Ahuja N, Gonzalez R, Grignani G, Quagliuolo V, Stoeckle E, Lahat G, De Paoli A, Pillarisetty VG, Canter RJ, Mullen JT, Pennacchioli E, van Houdt W, Swallow CJ, et al. ASO Visual Abstract: An Analysis of Differentiation Changes and Outcomes at the First Recurrence of Retroperitoneal Liposarcoma by the Transatlantic Australasian Retroperitoneal Sarcoma Working Group (TARPSWG). Ann Surg Oncol. 2021 Dec;28(Suppl 3):490-491. doi: 10.1245/s10434-021-10095-x. No abstract available. PubMed [citation] PMID: 34148160
- Kenerson HL, Sullivan KM, Labadie KP, Pillarisetty VG, Yeung RS. Protocol for tissue slice cultures from human solid tumors to study therapeutic response. STAR Protoc. 2021 Jun 2;2(2):100574. doi: 10.1016/j.xpro.2021.100574. eCollection 2021 Jun 18. PubMed [citation] PMID: 34142099, PMCID: PMC8184656
- Chang AE, Radke MR, Zhen DB, Baker KK, Coveler AL, Wong KM, Pillarisetty VG, Reddi D, Redman MW, Swisher E, Chiorean EG. DNA Damage Repair Defects and Survival Outcomes for Patients With Resected Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma. Pancreas. 2021 May-Jun 01;50(5):e50-e52. doi: 10.1097/MPA.0000000000001819. No abstract available. PubMed [citation] PMID: 34106577, PMCID: PMC8585585
- Kohli K, Yao L, Nowicki TS, Zhang S, Black RG, Schroeder BA, Farrar EA, Cao J, Sloan H, Stief D, Cranmer LD, Wagner MJ, Hawkins DS, Pillarisetty VG, Ribas A, Campbell J, Pierce RH, Kim EY, Jones RL, Riddell SR, Yee C, Pollack SM. IL-15 mediated expansion of rare durable memory T cells following adoptive cellular therapy. J Immunother Cancer. 2021 May;9(5). pii: e002232. doi: 10.1136/jitc-2020-002232. PubMed [citation] PMID: 33963013, PMCID: PMC8108691
- Nessim C, Raut CP, Callegaro D, Barretta F, Miceli R, Fairweather M, Blay JY, Strauss D, Rutkowski P, Ahuja N, Gonzalez R, Grignani G, Quagliuolo V, Stoeckle E, Lahat G, De Paoli A, Pillarisetty VG, Canter RJ, Mullen JT, Pennacchioli E, van Houdt W, Swallow CJ, et al. Analysis of Differentiation Changes and Outcomes at Time of First Recurrence of Retroperitoneal Liposarcoma by Transatlantic Australasian Retroperitoneal Sarcoma Working Group (TARPSWG). Ann Surg Oncol. 2021 Nov;28(12):7854-7863. doi: 10.1245/s10434-021-10024-y. Epub 2021 Apr 27. PubMed [citation] PMID: 33907921
- Labadie KP, Droullard DJ, Lois AW, Daniel SK, McNevin KE, Gonzalez JV, Seo YD, Sullivan KM, Bilodeau KS, Dickerson LK, Utria AF, Calhoun J, Pillarisetty VG, Sham JG, Yeung RS, Park JO. IWATE criteria are associated with perioperative outcomes in robotic hepatectomy: a retrospective review of 225 resections. Surg Endosc. 2021 Feb 19. doi: 10.1007/s00464-021-08345-w. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed [citation] PMID: 33608766
- Kohli K, Pillarisetty VG, Kim TS. Key chemokines direct migration of immune cells in solid tumors. Cancer Gene Ther. 2021 Feb 18. doi: 10.1038/s41417-021-00303-x. [Epub ahead of print] Review. PubMed [citation] PMID: 33603130
- Abbasi A, Wakeman KM, Pillarisetty VG. Pancreatic paraganglioma mimicking pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor. Rare Tumors. 2020 Dec 21;12:2036361320982799. doi: 10.1177/2036361320982799. eCollection 2020. PubMed [citation] PMID: 33425308, PMCID: PMC7756035
- Nessim C, Raut CP, Callegaro D, Barretta F, Miceli R, Fairweather M, Rutkowski P, Blay JY, Strauss D, Gonzalez R, Ahuja N, Grignani G, Quagliuolo V, Stoeckle E, De Paoli A, Pillarisetty VG, Swallow CJ, Bagaria SP, Canter RJ, Mullen JT, Schrage Y, Pennacchioli E, et al. Postoperative Morbidity After Resection of Recurrent Retroperitoneal Sarcoma: A Report from the Transatlantic Australasian RPS Working Group (TARPSWG). Ann Surg Oncol. 2021 May;28(5):2705-2714. doi: 10.1245/s10434-020-09445-y. Epub 2021 Jan 2. PubMed [citation] PMID: 33389288
- Jabbari N, Kenerson HL, Lausted C, Yan X, Meng C, Sullivan KM, Baloni P, Bergey D, Pillarisetty VG, Hood LE, Yeung RS, Tian Q. Modulation of Immune Checkpoints by Chemotherapy in Human Colorectal Liver Metastases. Cell Rep Med. 2020 Dec 22;1(9):100160. doi: 10.1016/j.xcrm.2020.100160. eCollection 2020 Dec 22. PubMed [citation] PMID: 33377131, PMCID: PMC7762777
- Daley D, Zambirinis CP, Seifert L, Akkad N, Mohan N, Werba G, Barilla R, Torres-Hernandez A, Hundeyin M, Kumar Mani VR, Avanzi A, Tippens D, Narayanan R, Jang JE, Newman E, Pillarisetty VG, Dustin ML, Bar-Sagi D, Hajdu C, Miller G. γδ T Cells Support Pancreatic Oncogenesis by Restraining αβ T Cell Activation. Cell. 2020 Nov 12;183(4):1134-1136. doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2020.10.041. No abstract available. PubMed [citation] PMID: 33186522
- Henrikson NB, Bowles EJA, Blasi PR, Morrison CC, Nguyen M, Pillarisetty VG, Lin JS. Screening for Pancreatic Cancer: A Systematic Evidence Review for the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force [Internet]. Rockville (MD): Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (US); 2019 Aug. PubMed [citation] PMID: 33164884
- Kohli K, Pillarisetty VG. Dendritic Cells in the Tumor Microenvironment. Adv Exp Med Biol. 2020;1273:29-38. doi: 10.1007/978-3-030-49270-0_2. PubMed [citation] PMID: 33119874
- Brempelis KJ, Cowan CM, Kreuser SA, Labadie KP, Prieskorn BM, Lieberman NAP, Ene CI, Moyes KW, Chinn H, DeGolier KR, Matsumoto LR, Daniel SK, Yokoyama JK, Davis AD, Hoglund VJ, Smythe KS, Balcaitis SD, Jensen MC, Ellenbogen RG, Campbell JS, Pierce RH, Holland EC, … Pillarisetty VG, et al. Genetically engineered macrophages persist in solid tumors and locally deliver therapeutic proteins to activate immune responses. J Immunother Cancer. 2020 Oct;8(2). pii: e001356. doi: 10.1136/jitc-2020-001356. PubMed [citation] PMID: 33115946, PMCID: PMC7594542
- Katz SC, Pillarisetty VG. Silver linings at the bench and bedside. Cancer Gene Ther. 2020 Nov;27(10-11):834-835. doi: 10.1038/s41417-020-00212-5. Epub 2020 Aug 16. No abstract available. PubMed [citation] PMID: 32801329, PMCID: PMC7429131
- van Houdt WJ, Fiore M, Barretta F, Rutkowski P, Blay JY, Lahat G, Strauss D, Gonzalez RJ, Ahuja N, Grignani G, Quagliuolo V, Stoeckle E, De Paoli A, Schrage Y, Cardona K, Pennacchioli E, Pillarisetty VG, Nessim C, Swallow CJ, Bagaria SP, Canter R, Mullen JT, et al. Patterns of recurrence and survival probability after second recurrence of retroperitoneal sarcoma: A study from TARPSWG. Cancer. 2020 Nov 15;126(22):4917-4925. doi: 10.1002/cncr.33139. Epub 2020 Aug 14. PubMed [citation] PMID: 32797703
- Kenerson HL, Sullivan KM, Seo YD, Stadeli KM, Ussakli C, Yan X, Lausted C, Pillarisetty VG, Park JO, Riehle KJ, Yeh M, Tian Q, Yeung RS. Tumor slice culture as a biologic surrogate of human cancer. Ann Transl Med. 2020 Feb;8(4):114. doi: 10.21037/atm.2019.12.88. PubMed [citation] PMID: 32175407, PMCID: PMC7049013
- Daniel SK, Seo YD, Pillarisetty VG. The CXCL12-CXCR4/CXCR7 axis as a mechanism of immune resistance in gastrointestinal malignancies. Semin Cancer Biol. 2020 Oct;65:176-188. doi: 10.1016/j.semcancer.2019.12.007. Epub 2019 Dec 23. Review. PubMed [citation] PMID: 31874281
- Chai LF, Prince E, Pillarisetty VG, Katz SC. Challenges in assessing solid tumor responses to immunotherapy. Cancer Gene Ther. 2020 Aug;27(7-8):528-538. doi: 10.1038/s41417-019-0155-1. Epub 2019 Dec 11. Review. PubMed [citation] PMID: 31822814
- Rodriguez CP, Wu QV, Voutsinas J, Fromm JR, Jiang X, Pillarisetty VG, Lee SM, Santana-Davila R, Goulart B, Baik CS, Chow LQM, Eaton K, Martins R. A Phase II Trial of Pembrolizumab and Vorinostat in Recurrent Metastatic Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinomas and Salivary Gland Cancer. Clin Cancer Res. 2020 Feb 15;26(4):837-845. doi: 10.1158/1078-0432.CCR-19-2214. Epub 2019 Dec 3. PubMed [citation] PMID: 31796519
- Henrikson NB, Aiello Bowles EJ, Blasi PR, Morrison CC, Nguyen M, Pillarisetty VG, Lin JS. Screening for Pancreatic Cancer: Updated Evidence Report and Systematic Review for the US Preventive Services Task Force. JAMA. 2019 Aug 6;322(5):445-454. doi: 10.1001/jama.2019.6190. PubMed [citation] PMID: 31386140
- Zhang S, Kohli K, Black RG, Yao L, Spadinger SM, He Q, Pillarisetty VG, Cranmer LD, Van Tine BA, Yee C, Pierce RH, Riddell SR, Jones RL, Pollack SM. Systemic Interferon-γ Increases MHC Class I Expression and T-cell Infiltration in Cold Tumors: Results of a Phase 0 Clinical Trial. Cancer Immunol Res. 2019 Aug;7(8):1237-1243. doi: 10.1158/2326-6066.CIR-18-0940. Epub 2019 Jun 6. PubMed [citation] PMID: 31171504, PMCID: PMC6677581
- Seo YD, Jiang X, Sullivan KM, Jalikis FG, Smythe KS, Abbasi A, Vignali M, Park JO, Daniel SK, Pollack SM, Kim TS, Yeung R, Crispe IN, Pierce RH, Robins H, Pillarisetty VG. Mobilization of CD8(+) T Cells via CXCR4 Blockade Facilitates PD-1 Checkpoint Therapy in Human Pancreatic Cancer. Clin Cancer Res. 2019 Jul 1;25(13):3934-3945. doi: 10.1158/1078-0432.CCR-19-0081. Epub 2019 Apr 2. PubMed [citation] PMID: 30940657, PMCID: PMC6606359
- Raut CP, Callegaro D, Miceli R, Barretta F, Rutkowski P, Blay JY, Lahat G, Strauss DC, Gonzalez R, Ahuja N, Grignani G, Quagliuolo V, Stoeckle E, De Paoli A, Pillarisetty VG, Nessim C, Swallow CJ, Bagaria S, Canter R, Mullen J, Gelderblom HJ, Pennacchioli E, et al. Predicting Survival in Patients Undergoing Resection for Locally Recurrent Retroperitoneal Sarcoma: A Study and Novel Nomogram from TARPSWG. Clin Cancer Res. 2019 Apr 15;25(8):2664-2671. doi: 10.1158/1078-0432.CCR-18-2700. Epub 2019 Feb 5. PubMed [citation] PMID: 30723141
- Daniel SK, Thornblade LW, Mann GN, Park JO, Pillarisetty VG. Standardization of perioperative care facilitates safe discharge by postoperative day five after pancreaticoduodenectomy. PLoS One. 2018 Dec 28;13(12):e0209608. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0209608. eCollection 2018. PubMed [citation] PMID: 30592736, PMCID: PMC6310358
- Jiang X, Seo YD, Sullivan KM, Pillarisetty VG. Establishment of Slice Cultures as a Tool to Study the Cancer Immune Microenvironment. Methods Mol Biol. 2019;1884:283-295. doi: 10.1007/978-1-4939-8885-3_20. PubMed [citation] PMID: 30465211
- Sullivan KM, Kenerson HL, Pillarisetty VG, Riehle KJ, Yeung RS. Precision oncology in liver cancer. Ann Transl Med. 2018 Jul;6(14):285. doi: 10.21037/atm.2018.06.14. Review. PubMed [citation] PMID: 30105235, PMCID: PMC6068329
- Shah MH, Goldner WS, Halfdanarson TR, Bergsland E, Berlin JD, Halperin D, Chan J, Kulke MH, Benson AB, Blaszkowsky LS, Eads J, Engstrom PF, Fanta P, Giordano T, He J, Heslin MJ, Kalemkerian GP, Kandeel F, Khan SA, Kidwai WZ, Kunz PL, Kuvshinoff BW, … Pillarisetty VG, et al. NCCN Guidelines Insights: Neuroendocrine and Adrenal Tumors, Version 2.2018. J Natl Compr Canc Netw. 2018 Jun;16(6):693-702. doi: 10.6004/jnccn.2018.0056. PubMed [citation] PMID: 29891520