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Jose R. Conejo-Garcia, M.D., Ph.D.
Title(s):
Assistant Professor of Microbiology and Immunology, and of Medicine
Department(s):
Medicine
Microbiology and Immunology
Education:
University of Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain, M.D., 1990
University of Alcala, Alcala de Henares, Spain, Ph.D., 1998
Programs:
Immunology Program
Molecular and Cellular Biology Graduate Programs
Norris Cotton Cancer Center
Curriculum Vitae:
Conejo-Garcia_J_CV_2009-01-30.pdf
NIH Biosketch:
Conejo-Garcia_J_BIO_2009-01-30.pdf
Websites:
http://dms.dartmouth.edu/microbio
http://dms.dartmouth.edu/immuno
http://dms.dartmouth.edu/cobre
Contact Information:
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640W Borwell HB 7556 1 Medical Center Drive Lebanon NH 03756 |
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Phone: 603-650-6822 Fax: 603-650-6223 Email: Jose.R.Conejo-Garcia@Dartmouth.edu |
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Selected Publications: |
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Scarlett, U., Cubillos-Ruiz, J., Nesbeth Y., Martinez, D., Engle, X., Ahonen, C. & J.R. Conejo-Garcia. In Situ Stimulation of CD40 and Toll-like Receptor 3 Transforms Ovarian Cancer-Infiltrating Dendritic Cells from Immunosuppressive to Immunostimulatory Cells. Cancer Res.; 69: 7329–37, 2009. (view details on MedLine) J. Cubillos-Ruiz, Engle X., Scarlett U., Martinez D., Barber A., Elgueta R., Wang L., Nesbeth Y., Durant Y., Gewirtz A.T., Sentman C.L., Kedl R. & J.R. Conejo-Garcia. Polyethylenimine-based siRNA nanocomplexes reprogram tumor-associated dendritic cells via TLR5 to elicit therapeutic antitumor immunity. J. Clin Invest.; 119: 2231-44, 2009. (view details on MedLine) Nesbeth Y., Scarlett, U., Cubillos-Ruiz, J., Martinez, D., Engle, X., Turk, M.J.& J.R. Conejo-Garcia. CCL5-Mediated Endogenous Antitumor Immunity Elicited by Adoptively Transferred Lymphocytes and Dendritic Cell Depletion. Cancer Res.; 69 (14): 6331-6338 , 2009.(Cancer Research Highlights comment and side bar cover) (view details on MedLine) Huarte E., J. Cubillos-Ruiz, Y. Nesbeth, U. Scarlett, D. Martinez, R.J. Buckanovich, F. Benencia, R. Stan, T. Keler, P. Sarobe, C.L. Sentman & J.R. Conejo-Garcia. Depletion of dendritic cells delays ovarian cancer progression by boosting anti-tumor immunity. Cancer Res.; 68: 7684-91, 2008. (view details on MedLine) Huarte E., J. Cubillos-Ruiz, Y. Nesbeth, U. Scarlett, D. Martinez, X. Engle, W. Rigby, P. Pioli, P. Guyre & J.R. Conejo-Garcia. PILAR is a novel modulator of human T cell expansion. Blood; 112: 1259-68, 2008. (view details on MedLine) Conejo-Garcia J.R., R. J. Buckanovich, F. Benencia, M. C. Courreges, S. Rubin, R. Carroll, G. Coukos. Vascular leukocytes contribute to tumor vascularization. Blood, 105: 679-81, 2005. (view details on MedLine) Conejo-Garcia J.R., F. Benencia, M.C. Courreges, E. Kang, A. Mohamed-Hadley, R. J. Buckanovich, D. Holtz, A. Jenkins, et al. Tumor-infiltrating dendritic cell precursors recruited by a beta-defensin contribute to vasculogenesis under the influence of Vegf-A. Nature Med., 10: 950-8, 2004. (view details on MedLine) Conejo-Garcia J.R., F. Benencia, M.C. Courreges, P.A. Gimotty, E. Khang, R.J.Buckanovich, K.A. Frauwirth, L. Zhang, et al. Ovarian carcinoma expresses the NKG2D ligand Letal and promotes the survival and expansion of CD28- anti-tumor T cells. Cancer Res, 64: 2175-82, 2004. (view details on MedLine) Conejo-Garcia J.R., A. Krause, S. Schulz, F.J. Rodriguez-Jimenez, E. Zhang L.*, J.R. Conejo-Garcia*, D. Katsaros, P. Gimotty, M. Massobrio, G. Regnani, A. Makrigiannakis, K. Schlienger, et al. Intratumoral T cells, recurrence and survival in epithelial ovarian cancer. New Engl. J. Med., 348:201-211, 2003. (view details on MedLine) Cubillos-Ruiz JR, Fiering S, Conejo-Garcia JR Nanomolecular targeting of dendritic cells for ovarian cancer therapy. Future Oncol. 2009 Oct;5(8):1189-92. (view details on MedLine) |
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Professional Interests:
Our lab focuses on understanding the contribution of inflammatory cells to tumor vascularization and immunosuppression. We are particularly interested in the tolerogenic/pro-angiogenic role of Vascular Leukocytes (VLCs), a subset of CD11c+DEc205+MHC-II+ myeloid cells that acquires an endothelial-like phenotype in the solid ovarian cancer microenvironment. Depletion of VLCs in suitable mice models dramatically impairs tumor progression by inducing vascular disarray and a subsequent anti-tumor immunogenic boost. Our primary work is focused on modulating the transcriptional profile of tumor microenvironmental leukocytes through various nanocarriers, in order to reverse their immunosuppressive/anergic phenotype while promoting the potential of VLCs to effectively present the tumor antigens that they phagocytose at tumor locations. We are also investigating the developmental pathways that regulate the "endothelialization" and immunosuppressive activities of VLCs, as well as their specific origin and exact contribution to ovarian cancer vascularization/immunosuppression.
Other lab interests include the expansion of clinically relevant amounts of cytotoxic T cells for adoptive transfer against human tumors, optimizing their phenotype to resist immunosuppressive signals in the tumor microenvironment.
Courses Taught:
Director, "Immunology Journal Club" (M/I 264-Immunology). Molecular & Cell Biology Program. Dartmouth College. 2008-present.
Instructor, "Biology 42" (BIO 42). Dartmouth College. 2007-present.
Co-coordinator, "Cancer Biology Journal Club". Molecular and Cell Biology Program. Fall term 2007.
Instructor, "Introduction to Biomedical engineering" (ENG 56). Thayer School of Engineering. 2007, 2008
Instructor, "Advanced Immunology" (MI.142). Molecular & Cell Biology Program. Dartmouth College. 2006, 2009.
Instructor, "Immunotherapy" (MICR.146.01-SP06). Molecular & Cell Biology Program. Dartmouth College. 2006, 2008.
Grant Information:
Title: Vascular Leukocytes influence the tumor microenvironment.
Principal Investigator: Jose R Conejo-Garcia
Granting Agency: NCI
Type: RO1 (1R01CA124515-01A1)
Period: 07/01/2007-05/31/2012
Title: Boosting anti-tumor immune responses by modulating genes with nanoparticles.
Principal Investigator: Jose R Conejo-Garcia
Granting Agency: NCI
Type: R21 (1R21CA132026-01)
Period: 7/29/2009-6/30/2011
Title: Vascular Leukocytes as novel antitumor therapeutic targets.
Principal Investigator: Jose R Conejo-Garcia
Granting Agency: Ovarian Cancer Research Fund
Type: Liz Tilberis Award for Excellence in Ovarian Cancer Research.
Period: 2006-2011 (renewed in 2008)
Title: Defining the Role of Pilar+ T Cells In Autoimmunity.
Principal Investigator: Jose Ramon Conejo-Garcia.
Type: Dartmouth Center for Clinical and Translational Science Pilot Award.
Period: 2009
Title: Generation of an inducible genetic mouse model of metastatic mucinous Ovarian carcinoma
Principal Investigator: Jose R Conejo-Garcia
Granting Agency: Norris Cotton Cancer Center
Type: Cancer Center Pilot Project
Period: 2009
Title: Dampening airway inflammation by silencing IL-8 with poorly immunogenic siRNA nanocarriers
Principal Investigator: Jose R Conejo-Garcia
Granting Agency: NIH/NCRR through the Cystic Fibrosis/Lung Biology COBRE at Dartmouth.
Type: Pilot Project
Period: 2009-2010
Copyright © 2009 Trustees of Dartmouth College