Home Department: Biology
Mentor: Han Zhu (Medicine - Cardiovascular Medicine)

“Identification of Peripheral Biomarkers for Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Induced Cardiotoxicity in Patients with Elevated Troponin”

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), a new class of chemotherapy medication, have been associated with rare, but often fatal heart inflammation called myocarditis. Definitive diagnosis requires extensive imaging or myocardial biopsy, posing a significant financial and physical burden on patients. The team aims to investigate potential peripheral biomarkers for the less invasive diagnosis of ICI-myocarditis in patients with elevated troponin. The lab has previously identified immune cell subsets key to the development of myocarditis in mouse models. Using single cell RNA sequencing of human samples, Corynn will identify and interrogate peripheral immune populations associated with increased cardiac risk.