Ariel Munitz, PhD
Project Title
The Role of Eosinophils in Gastric Cancer
About the Investigator
Prof. Ariel Munitz is a Professor of Immunology at Tel Aviv University and an internationally recognized expert in eosinophil biology and cancer immunology. His research focuses on understanding how immune cells shape inflammation and cancer, particularly in tissues such as the gastrointestinal tract and lungs. Over the past two decades, Prof. Munitz has made seminal discoveries showing that eosinophils immune cells best known for their role in allergy also play important roles in cancer. His work has been published in leading scientific journals and has helped redefine how eosinophils interact with tumors and other immune cells. He is deeply committed to translating basic immunology discoveries into new strategies for cancer therapy.
About the Research
Gastric cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer-related death worldwide. While modern immunotherapies have transformed the treatment of some cancers, they are far less effective in gastric cancer. One major reason is that gastric tumors create a highly suppressive immune environment that prevents the immune system from attacking cancer cells. This research focuses on a type of immune cell called the eosinophil.
Eosinophils are usually associated with allergies and asthma, but recent evidence including work from our laboratory shows that they are abundant in gastric tumors. Importantly, their role in cancer (in general) and gastric cancer (specifically) has remained unclear. Our data suggests that eosinophils actively promote gastric cancer by recruiting regulatory T cells (Tregs), which suppress anti-cancer immune responses.
The goal of this project is to understand how eosinophils shape the immune environment in gastric cancer. We will study how eosinophils are recruited to tumors, how they interact with other immune cells, and how they help tumors evade immune attack. Specifically, we will examine a signaling pathway in which tumor-derived factors activate eosinophils to release molecules that attract Tregs, thereby blocking the activity of cancer-fighting T cells.
Using advanced models and human tumor samples this research will uncover a previously unrecognized immune pathway that supports gastric cancer growth.
Ultimately, this project aims to reveal new therapeutic targets in gastric cancer. Insights from this study could lead to innovative treatments that restore immune control of gastric cancer and improve outcomes for patients.
