Assistant Professor
Neurology
Assistant Professor
Pediatrics
Keywords:
functional heterogeneity of microglia and macrophages in pediatric brain tumors
Research:
Dang’s research work is focused on defining the functional heterogeneity of microglia and macrophages in pediatric brain tumors. Using a wide variety of tools including immunocompetent brain tumor animal models, single-cell analysis, and advanced imaging, her lab is interrogating the multiplicity of the anti- and pro-tumor functions of these myeloid cells. The aims of her investigations are 1) to leverage the myeloid cells’ direct and indirect contributions to tumor cell killing during treatments such as radiation and molecular-targeted inhibitors to improve treatment efficacy; and 2) to understand how intratumoral microglia interact with the surrounding normal brain during tumor development, treatment, and recovery after treatment.