{"683372":{"#nid":"683372","#data":{"type":"event","title":"PhD Proposal by Deepali Balasubramani","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EDeepali Balasubramani\u003Cbr\u003EBME PhD Proposal Presentation\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDate\u003C\/strong\u003E: 2025-08-04\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ETime\u003C\/strong\u003E: 12 PM - 2 PM\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ELocation \/ Meeting Link\u003C\/strong\u003E: EBB 4029\/ Zoom link: \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/gatech.zoom.us\/j\/97138462141?pwd=dUEcBJ6uTbhSliZqQPHmuDWyaTSzuJ.1\u0022\u003Ehttps:\/\/gatech.zoom.us\/j\/97138462141?pwd=dUEcBJ6uTbhSliZqQPHmuDWyaTSzuJ.1\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommittee Members:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EAnkur Singh, PhD (Advisor); Ahmet Coskun, PhD; Andr\u00e9s Garc\u00eda, PhD; Julia Babensee, PhD; Jean Koff, MD,MS\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ETitle\u003C\/strong\u003E: Engineered organoids to investigate racial differences in B-cell lymphomas\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAbstract:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EThe biology and clinical behavior of Diffuse Large B Cell Lymphoma (DLBCL) results from molecular alterations harbored by DLBCL cells and their interactions with the lymphoid tumor microenvironment (Ly-TME). Activated B cell (ABC) DLBCL, one of the more aggressive forms, depends on constitutive activation of nuclear factor \u03baB (NF-\u03baB) driven by B cell receptor (BCR), phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) and toll like receptor 9 (TLR9) pathways. Survival signals and external stimuli from the Ly-TME contribute to ABC DLBCL BCR signaling and progression. Transcriptomic and spatial analysis reveal unique multicellular ecosystems within the Ly-TME, associated with distinct biological and clinical behaviors. Studies investigating disparities in lymphoma outcomes have identified African American patients with inferior 5-year overall survival, diagnosis age \u0026gt;10 years younger than other racial groups and distinct mutational profiles indicating different oncogenic mechanisms. There is a critical gap in understanding the Ly-TME in AA ABC DLBCL versus non-Hispanic white ABC DLBCL, and how race-specific TME affects BCR signaling and NF-\u03baB activation, influencing DLBCL progression and worse clinical outcomes. To this, the goals of my PhD dissertation is to characterize the ABC DLBCL lymphoid tumor microenvironment (Ly-TME) in African American (AA) and non-Hispanic white (NHW) patients using tissue-based cyclic immunofluorescence (t-CyCIF). Using a modular PEG-4-MAL hydrogel platform, we will engineer organoids that mimic key Ly-TME features to study ABC DLBCL progression and therapeutic responses\u2014particularly in AA patient prevalent mutant backgrounds. We will also develop and validate AA- patient-derived organoids (PDOs) that sustain primary lymphoma cells, preserve patient heterogeneity, and predict therapeutic responses.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EEngineered organoids to investigate racial differences in B-cell lymphomas\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Engineered organoids to investigate racial differences in B-cell lymphomas"}],"uid":"27707","created_gmt":"2025-07-30 12:49:13","changed_gmt":"2025-07-30 12:49:48","author":"Tatianna Richardson","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2025-08-04T12:00:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2025-08-04T14:00:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2025-08-04T14:00:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2025-08-04 16:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2025-08-04 18:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2025-08-04 18:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"location":" EBB 4029\/ Zoom link: ","extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"221981","name":"Graduate Studies"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"102851","name":"Phd proposal"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[{"id":"1788","name":"Other\/Miscellaneous"}],"invited_audience":[{"id":"78771","name":"Public"}],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}