2025
"Research is the distance between an idea and its realization."
- David Sarnoff
Elucidation of the Role of ST8SIA1 and ST8SIA4 in Tumor Microenvironment and Harnessing its Potential as an Intervention for TNBC Treatment.
Dr. Ujjaini Dasgupta was awarded the prestigious Lady Tata Grant in 2025 for this project. This project aims to understand how the enzymes ST8SIA1 and ST8SIA4 shape the tumor immune microenvironment in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) and to explore whether targeting these enzymes can improve therapeutic responses.
ST8SIA1 and ST8SIA4 are sialyltransferases involved in the synthesis of gangliosides and polysialic acid, these molecules known to affect immune signaling, tumor progression, and metastasis. Emerging evidence suggests that tumor-associated glycosylation, particularly sialylation mediated by ST8SIA enzymes, plays a critical role in immune evasion. This proposal investigates whether these enzymes contribute to immune suppression in TNBC and whether their inhibition can enhance chemotherapy and immunotherapy efficacy. In first step assessing ST8SIA1/4 expression in patient tumors and correlating it with immune cell infiltration, and cytokine signatures, to determine whether high expression is associated with an immunosuppressive microenvironment. Further using murine TNBC models, manipulating ST8SIA1/4 expression in tumor cells and evaluating resulting changes in tumor growth, immune cell composition, and immune activity. Final goal is to evaluate the therapeutic potential of ST8SIA1/4 inhibition, alone or in combination with chemotherapy and immune checkpoint blockade, to determine whether targeting these enzymes can enhance anti-tumor immunity and improve treatment outcomes. This project is expected to be completed in 2028.
