Edward L Nelson
Medicine, School of Medicine
Phone: (949) 824-2860
Email: enelson@uci.edu
http://www.faculty.uci.edu/profile.cfm?faculty_id=4910
http://www.healthcare.uci.edu/findadoctor/bio.aspx?hsid=99023742
Clinical Web Site
Edward Nelson
Dr. Nelson is a translational physician scientist in the field of tumor immunology. His laboratory emphasizes the study and involvement of dendritic cell (DC) biology in this effort, as the DC is the most potent antigen-presenting and immune stimulatory cell. Although the immune system can see and respond to tumors, this response is dampened and misdirected resulting in the failure of the immune system to control tumor recurrence or growth. His overall research objective is to develop methodologies to improve the capacity of cancer patient’s immune system to control tumor growth. To achieve this goal, research activities include; 1) clinical studies of modulation of the psychoneuroimmune (PNI) axis to redirect the immune system, 2) clinical studies of pharmacologic immunomodulation with an emphasis on the DC compartment to enhance the magnitude of the anti-tumor immune response, 3) preclinical studies of antigen-specific immunotherapy using a vector system with intrinsic tropism for DCs to elicit robust immune responses to specific tumor-associated antigens, and 4) a recently established nanotechnology project to evaluate and characterize the cellular subsets within a tumor mass, potentially identifying critical new targets for the immune system. Dr. Nelson provides a critical bridge between clinicians and basic scientists through multiple cross-disciplinary research activities and organizations (e.g., Breast Cancer Research Group, NSF-IGERT LifeChips Program, Beckman Laser Institute & Medical Research Clinic).
Selected Publications:
Nelson, E. L., Prieto, D., Alexander, T. G., Pushko, P., Lofts, L. A., Rayner, J. O., Kamrud, K. I., Fralish, B., and Smith, J. F. (2003). Venezuelan equine encephalitis replicon immunization overcomes intrinsic tolerance and elicits effective anti-tumor immunity to the 'self' tumor-associated antigen, neu in a rat mammary tumor model. Breast Cancer Res Treat 82(3), 169-83.
Wang, K., Nishimoto, K. P., Mehta, R. S., and Nelson, E. L. (2006). An alternative flow cytometry strategy for peripheral blood dendritic cell enumeration in the setting of repetitive GM-CSF dosing. J Transl Med 4, 18.
Laust, A. K., Sur, B. W., Wang, K., Hubby, B., Smith, J. F., and Nelson, E. L. (2007). VRP immunotherapy targeting neu: treatment efficacy and evidence for immunoediting in a stringent rat mammary tumor model. Breast Cancer Res Treat 106(3), 371-82.
Nelson, E. L., Wenzel, L. B., Osann, K., Dogan-Ates, A., Chantana, N., Reina-Patton, A., Laust, A. K., Nishimoto, K. P., Chicz-Demet, A., du Pont, N., and Monk, B. J. (2008). Stress, Immunity, and Cervical Cancer: Biobehavioral Outcomes of a Randomized Clinical Trail. Clin Cancer Res 14(7), 2111-2118. |
