Despite the success of immunotherapies such as immune checkpoint blockade in other solid tumors, these therapies have limited effectiveness in breast cancer, especially in metastasis. Antigen-presenting cells are critical to initiate anti-tumor immunity and for efficacy of immune checkpoint blockade and are deficient in breast cancers. Dr. Reddy’s research focuses on restoring effective antigen presentation to enhance anti-tumor immunity in breast cancers.
Dr. Reddy is a translational investigator conducting bidirectional research from the bedside to bench and back to bedside. She is a principal investigator on multiple clinical trials of cancer immunotherapy in breast cancer as well as other solid tumors. She also leads institutional efforts to deeply immune-profile breast cancers using several single cell technologies to study biomarkers and pharmacodynamics. This patient work is supplemented by preclinical murine studies.
Opportunities exist for laboratory members to participate in research along this translational spectrum.
Dr. Reddy obtained her undergraduate education at Harvard University followed by medical school at the David Geffen School of Medicine at University of California at Los Angeles. She subsequently completed her Internal Medicine residency at Northwestern where she also obtained a Master of Science in Clinical Investigation Degree. She then received her oncology training at MD Anderson Cancer Center where she remained on faculty as a Research Instructor to study the tumor immune microenvironment of high-risk cancers.
Dr. Riyasat Ali received his Ph.D. from All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India, for developing a synthetic peptide-based vaccine and identifying antigens of Y. pestis. After his Ph.D., he received his postdoctoral training at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York, where he investigated the roles of antigen-specific T cells and T-cell receptor specificity in animal models of type 1 diabetes. Later, he joined the University of Houston College of Pharmacy as a research associate, where he worked on immune cell infiltration in kidney injuries in animal models. He is currently working as a research scientist with Dr. Sangeetha Reddy in the Department of Internal Medicine at UT Southwestern Medical Center. His current research focuses on immune cell modulation in response to neoadjuvant combination (chemotherapy/immunotherapy) therapies in preclinical models of breast cancer. He likes playing outdoor games, walking, and reading.
Neha Iyer received her Ph.D. in Biomedical Sciences from the University of North Texas in Denton, Texas, where she investigated the molecular mechanisms of blood coagulation and thrombosis using zebrafish models under the mentorship of Dr. Pudur Jagadeeswaran. She is currently a Postdoctoral Researcher in the Reddy Laboratory at UT Southwestern Medical Center, where she uses CRISPR-based functional genomics and immunological approaches to uncover novel regulators of dendritic cell biology and T-cell exhaustion, with the goal of improving cancer immunotherapies.
Vivek Mathesh received his M.D. from UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, TX, where he developed an interest in oncology and humanistic medicine. He is an Internal Medicine resident at UT Southwestern planning to pursue a Hematology/Oncology fellowship, with a specific interest in Benign and Malignant Hematology. He is currently also a research assistant in the Reddy Lab, where his research focuses on clinical trials run in the Reddy Lab. Outside of the lab, they enjoy chess, learning languages, and all things tea.
Xinyi (Shane) Qi earned his M.D. and Ph.D. in Cell Biology from Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, China. He completed a pediatric residency at Shanghai Children’s Medical Center before pursuing postdoctoral research. He is currently a postdoctoral researcher in the Reddy Lab in the Department of Internal Medicine at UT Southwestern, where his research focuses on cancer immunotherapy for primary and metastatic breast cancer. Outside the lab, he enjoys singing, hiking, and spending time with his Samoyed, Ikaria.
Priti See is currently an undergraduate student at The University of Texas at Dallas, where she studies genetic engineering in the Biomedical Engineering Department while working toward her goal of attending medical school. She is a Research Assistant in the Reddy Lab and a former Green Fellow. Outside of the lab, Priti enjoys running, reading, and spending time on the lake.
Jui Wan received her B.S. (in Biotechnology) and Ph.D. (in Microbiology and Molecular Genetics) degrees from Rutgers University in 2015 and 2021 respectively. After her Ph.D. graduation, she worked as a Research Fellow in Singapore for 3 years (at National Cancer Centre Singapore and Duke-NUS Medical School). She is currently a Computational Biologist II in Data Science Shared Resource (DSSR) since 2024. She has experience in high-throughput data sequencing analysis, particularly in genomics and transcriptomics, both at bulk and single-cell level. In her free time, she enjoys swimming and hiking.
Kumar A, Ramani V, Bharti V, de Lima Bellan D, Saleh N, Uzhachenko R, Shen C, Arteaga C, Richmond A, Reddy SM* (*co-corresponding), Vilgelm A*. Dendritic cell therapy augments antitumor immunity triggered by CDK4/6 inhibition and immune checkpoint blockade by unleashing systemic CD4 T-cell responses. Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer. 2023 May 1;11(5):e006019.
Lee K, Lin C, Servetto A, [...], Reddy SM, Yum S, Chang C, Hutchinson K, Yost S, Yuan Y, Chen Z, Fu Y, Hanker A, Arteaga CL. Epigenetic repression of STING by MYC promotes immune evasion and resistance to immune checkpoint inhibitors in triple-negative breast cancer. Cancer Immunol Res. 2022 Jul 1;10(7):829-843.
Arjmandi F, Mootz A, Farr D, Reddy SM, Dogan B. New horizons in imaging and surgical assessment of breast cancer lymph node metastasis. Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2021 Jun;187(2): 311-322.
Li X, Kumar S, Harmanci A, Li S, Kitchen RR, Zhang Y, Wali VB, Reddy SM, [...] Gerstein M. Whole-genome sequencing of phenotypically distinct inflammatory breast cancers reveals similar genomic alterations to non-inflammatory breast cancers. Genome Med. 2021 Apr 26;13(1): 70.
Marron T, Ryan AE, Reddy SM, […] Guerriero J. Considerations for treatment duration in responders to immune checkpoint inhibitors. Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer. 2021 Mar;9(3):e001901.
Mitra A, Andrews MC, Roh W, Petaccia De Macedo M, Hudgens CW, Carapeto F, Singh S, Reuben A, Wang F, Mao X, Song X, Wani K, Tippen S, Ng K, Schalck A, Sakellariou-Thompson D, Chen E, Reddy SM, […] Futreal A. Spatially resolved analyses link genomic and immune diversity and reveal unfavorable neutrophil activation in melanoma. Nat Commun. 2020 Apr 15;11(1): 1839.
Reddy SM, Carroll E, Nanda R. Atezolizumab for the treatment of breast cancer. Expert Rev Anticancer Ther. 2020 Mar;20(3):151-158.
Helmink BH*, Reddy SM* (*co-first authorship), Gao J, Zhang S, Sade-Feldman M, Yizhak K, Blando J, Han G, Zhao H, Tawbi H, Amaria RN, Davies MA, Hwu P, Lee JE, Gershenwald J, Burton EM, Haydu L, Lazar AJ, Hudgens CW, Cogdill A, Keung E, Gopalakrishnan V, Reuben A, Andrews MC, Spencer CN, Butterfield, Allison J, Tetzlaff MT, Wu C, Hacohen N, Sharma P, Wang L, Wargo JA. B-cells and tertiary lymphoid structures predict immune checkpoint blockade response. Nature. 2020 Jan;577(7791):549-555.
Reddy SM, Reuben AR, Barua S, Zhang S, Jiang H, Tetzlaff MT, Gopalakrishnan V, Reuben J, Wang L, Tsujikawa T, Wani K, He Y, Rao A, Villareal L, Wood A, Woodward W, Ueno NT, Krishnamurthy S, Mittendorf EM, Wargo J. Poor Response to Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy Correlates with Mast Cell Infiltration in Inflammatory Breast Cancer. Cancer Immunol Res. 2019 May 1.
Amaria RN*, Reddy SM* (*co-first authorship), Tawbi H, Davies M, Ross M, Glitza I, Cormier J, Lewis CM, Hwu WJ, Hanna EY, […] Tetzlaff MT, Wargo J. Neoadjuvant immune checkpoint blockade in high-risk resectable melanoma. Nature Medicine. 2018 Nov;24(11):1649-1654.
Sade-Feldman M, Yizhak K, Bjorgaard SL, Ray JP, De Boer, CG, Jenkins RW, Lieb DJ, Chen JH, Frederick DT, Barzily-Rokni M, Freeman SS, Reuben A, Hoover PJ, Villani A, Ivanova E, Portell A, Lizotte PH, Aref AR, Eliane J, Hammon MR, Vitzthum H, Blackmon SM, Li B, Gopalakrishnan V, Reddy SM, […] Hacohen N. Defining T cell states associated with response to checkpoint immunotherapy in melanoma. Cell. 2018 Nov 1;175(4):998-1013.e20.
Amaria RN, Prieto PA, Tetzlaff MT, Reuben A, Andrews MC, Ross MI, Glitza IC, Cormier J, Hwu WJ, Tawbi HA, Patel SP, Lee JE, Gershenwald JE, Spencer CN, Gopalakrishnan V, Bassett R, Simpson L, Mouton R, Hudgens CW, Zhao L, Zhu H, Cooper ZA, Wani K, Lazar A, Hwu P, Diab A, Wong MK, McQuade JL, Royal R, Lucci A, Burton EM, Reddy S, […] Wargo JA. Neoadjuvant plus adjuvant dabrafenib and trametinib versus standard of care in patients with high-risk, surgically resectable melanoma: a single-centre, open-label, randomized, phase 2 trial. Lancet Oncol. 2018 Feb;19(2):181-193
Gopalakrishnan V, Spencer C, Nezi L, Reuben A, Andrews M, Karpinets T, Prieto P, Vicente D, Hoffman K, Wei S, Cogdill A, Zhao L, Hudgens C, Hutchinson D, Manzo T, Petaccia de Macedo M, Cotechini R, Kumar T, Chen WS, Reddy S, […] Wargo J. Gut microbiome impacts response to PD-1 immunotherapy in melanoma patients. Science. 2018 Jan 5;359(6371):97-103.
Reddy SM, Barcenas C, Sinha A, Hsu L, Moulder S, Tripathy D, Hortobagyi G, Valero V. Long-term survival outcomes of triple-receptor negative breast cancer survivors who are disease-free at 5 years and relationship with low hormone receptor positivity. British Journal of Cancer. 2018 Jan;118(1):17-23.
Gall V, Philips A, Qiao N, Clise-Dwyer K, Perakis A, Zhang M, Clifton G, Sukhumalchandra P, Ma Q, Reddy SM, Yu D, Molldrem J, Peoples G, Alatrash G, Mittendorf E. Trastuzumab Increases HER2 Uptake and Cross-Presentation by Dendritic Cells. Cancer Research. 2017 Oct 1;77(19):5374-5383.
Shaitelman SF, Stauder MC, Allen P, Reddy S, Lakoski S, Atkinson B, Reddy J, Amaya D, Guerra W, Ueno N, Caudle A, Tereffe W, Woodward WA. Impact of Statin Use on Outcomes in Triple Negative Breast Cancer. J Cancer 2017;8(11):2026-2032.
Szczepaniak R, Golapalakrishnan V, Reddy SM, Zhang X, Reuben A, Wargo JA. Interaction of molecular alterations with immune response in melanoma. Cancer. 2017 Jun 1;123(S11):2130-2142.
Reuben A, Spencer CN, Prieto PA, Gopalakrishnan V, Reddy SM, […] Wargo J. Genomic and immune heterogeneity are associated with differential responses to therapy in melanoma. NPJ Genomic Medicine. 2017 April 7;2(10).
Roh W, Chen PL, Reuben A, Spencer CN, Prieto PA, Miller JP, Gopalakrishnan V, Wang F, Cooper ZA, Reddy SM, […] Wargo J. Integrated molecular analysis of tumor biopsies on sequential CTLA-4 and PD-1 blockade reveals markers of response and resistance. Sci Transl Med. 2017 Mar 1;9(379).
Chen PL, Roh W, Reuben A, Cooper ZA, Spencer CN, Prieto PA, Miller JP, Bassett RL, Gopalakrishnan V, Wani K, De Macedo MP, Austin-Breneman JL, Jiang H, Chang Q, Reddy SM, […] Wargo J. Analysis of immune signatures in longitudinal tumor samples yields insights into biomarkers of response and mechanisms of resistance to immune checkpoint blockade. Cancer Discov. 2016 Aug;6(8):827-37.
Wargo JA*, Reddy SM* (*co-first authorship), Reuben A, Sharma P. Monitoring immune responses in the tumor microenvironment. Current Opinion in Immunology. 2016 Aug;41:23-31.
Reddy SM, Reuben A, Wargo JA. Influences of BRAF inhibitors on the immune microenvironment and the rationale for combined molecular and immune targeted therapy. Current Oncology Reports. 2016 Jul;18(7):42.
Reddy SM, Vergo MT, Paice JA, Kwon N, Helenowski IB, Benson AB, Mulcahy MF, Nimeiri H, Harden RN. Quantitative sensory testing at baseline and during cycle 1 oxaliplatin infusion detects subclinical peripheral neuropathy and predicts clinically overt chronic neuropathy in gastrointestinal malignancies. Clinical Colorectal Cancer. 2016 Mar;15(1):37-46.
Reddy SM, Gallick G, Eng C. Phase II Study of Saracatinib (AZD0530) in patients with previously treated metastatic colorectal cancer. Invest New Drugs. 2015, 33(4): 977-984.
Reddy SM, Sadim M, Helenowski IB, Li J, Yi N, Kaklamani VG. Clinical and genetic predictors of weight gain in patients diagnosed with breast cancer. British Journal of Cancer. 2013, 109:872-881.
Reddy S, Raffin M, Kaklamani V. Targeting angiogenesis in metastatic breast cancer. The Oncologist. 2012, 17(8):1014-1026.
Reddy SM, Vergo M, Benson AB. Prognostic and predictive markers in colorectal cancer. Current Colorectal Cancer Reports. 2011, 7(4).
Reddy SM, Winston DJ, Territo MC, Schiller GJ. CMV central nervous system disease in stem-cell transplant recipients: an increasing complication of drug-resistant cytomegalovirus infection and protracted immunodeficiency. Bone Marrow Transplant. 2010, 45:979-984.
Sangeetha Reddy, M.D., M.S.C.I.
Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine
Division of Hematology and Oncology
The Reddy Lab is seeking motivated postdoctoral fellows interested in cancer immunology and immunotherapy. Reach out to us below if you are an interested applicant.