Understanding Immune Hubs to Improve Immunotherapy

Our Research

Our lab studies the cellular interactions that shape immune responses in human tumors, focusing on how these responses are regulated. Using a combination of large-scale genomic analyses and tissue imaging approaches, we have identified hubs in tumor tissues where tumor cells come into close contact with immune cells. By characterizing the cells in these hubs, and the gene networks that are turned on in these cells, our lab aims to uncover novel ways to harness the immune system in the fight against cancer.

Our Partners

Our People

We are a brand new lab located at the Gladstone Institutes in sunny Mission Bay looking for passionate students and postdoctoral fellows to join us in our mission to decode the cellular interaction networks that shape immune responses in human tumors. We are excited to grow into a cross-disciplinary, collaborative and diverse lab that includes clinicians, immunologists, geneticists, cancer researchers, and computational biologists.

learn more

Media Highlights

Juggling Motherhood and Science

Cancer Immunologist Karin Pelka Joins Gladstone Institutes

Researchers discover immune cell “hubs” hiding in tumors

SU2C Peggy Prescott Early Career Scientist Award in Colorectal Cancer Research

Stand Up To Cancer Awards $1.1 Million In Grants to Research Teams

Faith Fight Finish Foundation Gala

‘Goodness, I’m getting emotional’: How Cowboys QB Dak Prescott brought Jerry Jones to tears at gala

Stand Up To Cancer Grants First Peggy Prescott Award In Colorectal Cancer Research

Stay Updated

Keep up-to-date with the latest research from the Pelka lab.

Recent Lab News

August 2024

After welcoming our intern Rhea in June, we said our goodbyes towards the end of August as she made her way back to Minnesota to enter her final year of college. We loved having you, Rhea, and wish you the very best in your future endeavors!

‍

The month, earlier, was filled with grant writing, meetings, and experiments, but we ended it off with a lab lunch altogether. Not too shabby!

‍

July 2024

This month, we welcomed Jingya Qiu into our lab as a Postdoctoral Scholar - we are so happy to have you, Jingya!

We also bid farewell to Jack, our wonderful RA, as he begins his PhD journey at UC Berkeley later in the fall. You will be greatly missed and are welcome back anytime, Jack!

June 2024

We started June by celebrating Sara's successful Quals Exam - we are so proud of your hard work, Sara!

‍

Meanwhile, Karin was an invited speaker at the JCA-AACR Joint Conference on Colorectal Cancer in Kyoto, Japan and also visited Boston, MA to present for the Dana-Farber Cancer Immunology Seminar Series. Productive month!