Ludwig Lausanne’s Ping-Chih Ho was made a full Member of the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Lausanne Branch, upon his promotion to tenured professor at the University of Lausanne in January. Ping-Chih has in recent years led a series of groundbreaking studies on the molecular crosstalk between tumor metabolism and the immune system, and his laboratory is a leader in the emerging field of immunometabolism. He and his team have discovered numerous mechanisms by which the metabolic microenvironment of tumors disables distinct elements of the anti-tumor immune response and identified several strategies to counter those defenses. Most notably, perhaps, Ping-Chih and his colleagues recently illuminated a new dimension of tumor evolution when they demonstrated that the immune system’s surveillance of cancer can itself induce metabolic adaptations in the cells of early-stage tumors that simultaneously promote their growth and equip them to suppress lethal immune responses (see page 15). The study detailed the mechanism by which this “immunometabolic editing” of emergent tumors occurs in mouse models of the skin cancer melanoma and identified several potential drug targets to undermine the process for cancer therapy. Ping-Chih’s creativity and productivity were most recently recognized with a Swiss Bridge Award and the Lloyd J. Old STAR award from the Cancer Research Institute.
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