Claire Holtz
Research Mentor(s): Elisabeth Pedersen
Mentor Department: Dermatology
Authors: Claire Holtz, Jawad Aqeel, Elisabeth Pedersen
Session: Session 7 (4:00pm – 4: 50pm)
Presentation Type: Oral
Abstract
Establishing effective mouse models for Dermatofibrosarcoma Protuberans (DFSP) and Basal Cell Carcinoma (BCC) is essential to advance therapeutic strategies and better understand tumor biology. Both tumors present unique challenges—DFSP as a rare sarcoma that is locally aggressive, and BCC as the most common human skin cancer. This approach uses patient-derived tumor samples expanded in tissue culture to maintain critical molecular features. These cultured tumor cells are then injected into immunosuppressed mouse models to establish models that allow for controlled tumor growth, monitoring, and therapeutic testing. Over time, we systematically adapt these models by transitioning tumor injections into mice with partially restored or fully competent immune systems, enabling the study of tumor-immune interactions and the evaluation of various therapies. This tumor modeling strategy helps bridge the gap between simplified tissue culture and clinically relevant immunocompetent models.
