Education:

• University of Notre Dame, PhD, Biological Sciences
• University of Missouri-Columbia, MS, Biomedical Sciences

Dr. Stefanski investigates arachidonic acid metabolism in conferring an immunosuppressive microenvironment that reduces targeted therapy and immune checkpoint inhibitor response. The aim of this study is to examine the use of FDA-approved inhibitors of arachidonic acid metabolism to overcome cross resistance to standard of care therapies in melanoma cells. Dr. Stefanski has demonstrated that targeted therapy resistant melanoma cells have increased arachidonic acid levels. Inhibiting COX1/2 activity delayed tumor relapse and increased survival in immunocompetent mice, but not immunodeficient mice. She has also shown the COX1/2 inhibition increase CD4+ and CD8+ T cell recruitment. Therefore, melanoma cells increase arachidonic acid metabolism modulating the immune tumor landscape. Overall, her studies address melanoma cell communication with the immune system through arachidonic acid to promote cross resistance and examine the use of FDA-approved treatments to improve patient outcome.