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February 2026

The 2026 Specialty Report is now available.

From the Director’s Message:

“The past year was one of momentous developments for us, with growth in our scientific discovery, in education, as an organization, and as individuals. Perhaps most prominent is our new name: Mount Sinai Tisch Cancer Center, spurred by our new National Cancer Institute designation as a Comprehensive Cancer Center. This honor is a testament to the dedication of our entire team—physicians, nurses, researchers, other specialists, and patients—who made it possible, and I am committed to ensuring that we continue to deliver excellence in patient care and research to live up to the designation.”



Read the report

Along with the new designation of the Mount Sinai Tisch Cancer Center as an NCI-Designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, the following leadership changes have been made:

• Matthew Galsky, MD - Deputy Director
• Thomas Marron, MD, PhD - Associate Director, Translational Research
• Karyn Goodman, MD, MS - Associate Director, Network Clinical Research
• Joseph Sparano, MD - Associate Director, Clinical Research Operations
• Melissa Mazor, PhD, MS, RN, and Sarah Miller, PsyD - Co-Associate Directors, Community Outreach and Engagement
• Poulikos Poulikakos, PhD - Co Leader, Cancer Mechanisms Program
• Marcio Diniz, PhD - Director, Biostatistics Shared Resource

Lakshmi Rajdev, MD, MS, has been appointed to the Local Context Subcommittee for the National Cancer Institute (NCI) Adult Central Institutional Review Board (CIRB). Dr. Rajdev is also a member of the NCI CIRB Late-Phase Emphasis Committee.

The NCI CIRB, composed of national experts, ensures that cancer clinical trials are reviewed efficiently and with the highest ethical and quality standards.

In an interview with PharmaBoardRoom, Ramon Parsons, MD, PhD, discusses four decades of progress in oncology research and the important role of comprehensive cancer centers in translating findings into clinical care. He notes relapse and resistance to therapies as a key challenge: “Across many cancers, patients may respond well initially, only to relapse months or even a decade later. In many cases, we do not understand why one patient is cured while another relapses, or how the relapsed tumour has rewired itself to evade therapy.”

Read the full interview

Sacha Gnjatic, PhD, gave a Grand Rounds presentation at the University of Maryland Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center on February 5: “Single Cell Atlases To Define Predictors of Outcome in Cancer Immunotherapy.”

Dr. Gnjatic will give a lecture at the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer Winter School, February 16-18: “Deep TCR and TCR Sequencing as a Biomarker for Cancer.”

Emily Bernstein, PhD, will present “Histone Variants and Their Functions in Cancer” at Epigenetics and Gene Regulation in Health and Disease: Linking Basic Mechanisms with Therapeutic Opportunities, March 2-5, in Geneva. 

User Survey

Feedback is essential for improving the services and capabilities of the Mount Sinai Tisch Cancer Center’s Shared Resources. Feedback directly shapes future investments and ensures attention to needed support.

Researchers are encouraged to complete the user survey.



Questions? Contact Jerry Edward Chipuk, PhD, Associate Director of Shared Resources.

Biostatistics Support for Grant Applications



The services of the Mount Sinai Tisch Cancer Center Biostatistics Shared Resource, directed by Marcio Diniz, PhD, can significantly increase the likelihood of successful grant awards. Researchers are reminded to honor a four-week lead time for grant development. The first step in the process is to submit a request for services.

Questions? Contact Erin Moshier, MSc, Managing Director.

Recent updates to the clinical research leadership structure for the Mount Sinai Tisch Cancer Center include the following appointments:

• Karyn Goodman, MD, MS - Associate Director for Network Clinical Research
• Joseph Sparano, MD - Associate Director for Clinical Research Operations

Dr. Goodman and Dr. Sparano are supported by Erick Herrscher, MBA, MS, serving as Interim Senior Director for Clinical Research.

Do you have breaking news/high impact news that might be appropriate for media coverage? Contact Diego Ortiz Quintero in the Press Office.

See recent press releases at https://icahn.mssm.edu/research/tisch under Discover the Latest.

Jaime Mateus-Tique, PhD; Brian Brown, PhD, and colleagues

Armored Macrophage-Targeted CAR-T Cells Reset and Reprogram the Tumor Microenvironment and Control Metastatic Cancer Growth

Cancer Cell. 2026 Jan 22. PMID: 41576929

This work highlights the potential of IL-12 armored anti-tumor associated macrophage (TAM) CAR-T cells as a broadly applicable strategy to remodel the tumor microenvironment (TME) and drive anti-tumor immunity for solid cancers. Findings indicate that targeting TAMs with IL-12 armored CAR-T cells can reset and reprogram the TME, enabling significant and lasting anti-tumoral effects in preclinical models of aggressive, metastatic ovarian and lung cancers.

Press Release

Sayali Onkar, PhD; Cansu Cimen Bozkus, PhD; Mansi Saxena, PhD; Nina Bhardwaj, MD, PhD

Pipe Dream to Pipeline: Journey of Cancer Vaccines and the Road Ahead

Cell Reports Medicine. 2026 Jan 22. PMID: 41576943

In this review, Dr. Bhardwaj and team describe the mechanisms mediating cancer vaccine immunogenicity and discuss recent advancements in vaccine design that enhance the efficacy of cancer vaccines, particularly neoantigen-based approaches. Recognizing key lessons from past efforts and knowledge gaps that limit clinical success, they note growing evidence that cancer vaccines may be most effective when used in combination with immune checkpoint inhibitors and other standard therapies, with the goal of overcoming immune resistance and improving patient outcomes. 

Press Release

Sacha Gnjatic, PhD; Edgar Gonzalez-Kozlova, PhD, and colleagues

Humoral IgG1 Responses to Tumor Antigens Underpin Clinical Outcomes in Immune

Checkpoint Blockade

Nature Medicine. 2026 Jan 27. PMID: 41593194

This study provides insights into the key role of B cell and infiltrating plasma cell responses in antitumor immunity and in response to immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) therapy. Findings indicate potential biomarkers for treatment stratification and support the hypothesis that tumor-specific humoral immunity is involved in ICB response. Results demonstrate that neoadjuvant PD-1 blockade induces tumor-specific IgG1⁺ plasma cell responses that complement cellular immunity and contribute to clinical benefit.

Press Release

Deborah Marshall, MD, and colleagues

Getting c-Literate: Bulboclitoris Functional Anatomy and Its Implications for Radiation Therapy

Practical Radiation Oncology. 2026 Jan 22. PMID: 41569221

This topic discussion summarizes the literature and provides a multidisciplinary expert discussion of anatomic and physiologic considerations of the bulboclitoris within the biopsychosocial framework of female sexual function and in the context of radiotherapy. It addresses a long-standing gap in cancer care by bringing key female sexual anatomy into consideration during routine radiotherapy planning and survivorship research. 

Press Release

Nicholas Gulati, MD, PhD, and colleagues

Morbidity and Mortality Outcomes of Dupilumab for Cutaneous Immune-Related Adverse Events

JAMA Oncology. 2026 Jan 22. PMID: 41569553

This retrospective cohort study examined long-term outcomes in adult patients treated with the monoclonal antibody dupilumab for management of cutaneous immune-related adverse events (cirAEs) following immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy. Findings show that dupilumab for cirAEs was associated with improved survival in the treatment group compared with control groups. Prospective studies are needed to validate the findings and inform algorithms for cirAE management.

Josep Llovet, MD, PhD, and colleagues

Activated ATF6α is a Hepatic Tumour Driver Restricting Immunosurveillance

Nature. 2026 Feb 4. PMID: 41639449

Dr. Llovet and colleagues demonstrate the function of the unfolded protein response transducer ATF6α as an endoplasmic reticulum-stress-inducing tumor driver and metabolic master regulator restricting cancer immunosurveillance for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Findings also suggest that persistently activated ATF6a is a potential stratification marker for immune checkpoint blockade response and a therapeutic target for HCC.

Irina Krykbaeva, MD, PhD; Karishma Vijay Rupani, MD BCh; Johnson Liu, MD

Recruitment of Neutrophils by Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor in Cancer Patients Undergoing Immunotherapy: The Good, the Bad, and the Unknown

Frontiers in Immunology. 2026 Feb 3.

This review synthesizes the preclinical and clinical literature examining granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) in solid tumor oncology, with a focus on its interaction with neutrophils and immune checkpoint inhibition. The review highlights key mechanistic insights, emerging clinical signals, and gaps in evidence, and emphasizes the importance of adhering to strict, consensus guideline-based use of G-CSF during chemo-immunotherapy.

Fred R. Hirsch, MD, PhD, and colleagues

Global Advances and Future Directions in Lung Cancer Care: Expert Consensus and Strategic Priorities

ESMO Open. 2026 Jan 23. PMID: 41579430



This article summarizes current advances and strategic priorities in lung cancer research and care, drawn from discussions and recommendations of the New York Lung Cancer Foundation Summit 2025. While global disparities and limited clinical trial access persist, screening is expanding worldwide; therapies are advancing, including perioperative immunotherapy and bispecific antibodies; and biomarkers for guiding treatment decisions are being studied.

Hematology/Medical Oncology Grand Rounds Thursday, May 21

Gedalio and Sonia Grinberg/Nathaniel Wisch, MD Endowed Visiting Lectureship

Michael Andreeff, MD, PhD

Department of Leukemia, Division of Cancer Medicine

MD Anderson Cancer Center

“Decoding PT53 in Myeloid Leukemias: When Guardian Becomes Gatekeeper of Resistance”

Tuesdays at noon, Davis Auditorium

February 17

Rachel Schiff, PhD

Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine

Hosted by Hanna Irie, MD, PhD

February 24

Maureen Murphy, PhD

Molecular and Cellular Oncogenesis Program, The Wistar Institute

Hosted by James Manfredi, PhD

March 3

Maximilian Merz, MD

Multiple Myeloma Specialist, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

Hosted by Samir Parekh, MBBS

March 10

Kwok Wong, MD, PhD

Perlmutter Cancer Center, NYU Langone Health

Hosted by Ramon Parsons, MD, PhD

Cancer Biology Retreat

Department of Oncological Sciences

Tuesday, April 7

The Bohemian National Hall, 321 East 73rd Street

Questions? Contact Evelyn Markov or Alana Coleman 

Myeloid Malignancy Workshop

Friday, March 6

New York Academy of Medicine, 1216 Fifth Avenue

Course Directors:

• John Mascarenhas, MD
• Marina Kremyanskaya, MD, PhD
• Ruben A. Mesa, MD, FACP

More Information

  TCC Connections  is a monthly publication of the Mount Sinai Tisch Cancer Center

Ramon Parsons, MD, PhD, Director

Janet Aronson , Editor

Past issues of  TCC Connections  are available on the Mount Sinai Tisch Cancer Center website