UCF researchers are investigating how age may affect the response to treatment in patients with triple negative breast cancer (TNBC), a form of breast cancer known for its aggressive nature and limited treatment options. The study, led by assistant professors Needa Brown and Aleksandra Petelski-Kulik from the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, is funded by a $100,000 grant from the Florida Breast Cancer Foundation.
Brown explained that age might influence how women respond to immune therapies for TNBC. “Recent studies suggest that younger and older women may respond differently to breast cancer therapies due to differences in their immune systems and tumor biology,” Brown said. “However, we still do not fully understand how age affects the immune response in TNBC.”
The research aims to examine the tumor microenvironment in TNBC to determine whether age impacts the effectiveness of immune checkpoint inhibitors, a type of immunotherapy. The team will use advanced mass spectrometry techniques to identify protein biomarkers linked to TNBC progression, immune system activity, and poor responses to immune checkpoint inhibitor treatment. The researchers believe these findings could help improve treatments for patients, especially in Florida’s aging population.
“By understanding how age influences TNBC and immune therapy response, our findings could translate to improved outcomes for thousands of patients both in Florida and beyond,” Petelski-Kulik said. “New biomarkers identified could set the stage for age-specific health screenings and personalized treatment strategies.”
The team also plans to explore the STING pathway, an immune system pathway that may help convert tumors that avoid immune detection into those that can be targeted by the immune system.
As part of the project, Brown and Petelski-Kulik will co-mentor a postdoctoral researcher, offering training in cancer biology, proteomics, and materials science. “Through this project, we will jointly mentor a postdoctoral fellow to allow for professional development in cross-disciplinary fields,” Brown said. “We hope this project will set-up a pipeline of next-generation doctoral students who can traverse the fields of materials science, proteomics and cancer biology.”
Petelski-Kulik noted that both researchers joined UCF in Fall 2024 after previously working at Northeastern University in Boston. She said they are looking forward to collaborating on research that could benefit the Florida community: “We’re excited to have the chance to work together on new research opportunities that can help shape the future of cancer therapies.”
