Lucas A. Horn, Ph.D.

Lucas A. Horn, Ph.D.
Staff Scientist
Laboratory of Tumor Immunology and Biology

Team Member of:

Claudia M. Palena, Ph.D.

Dr. Horn’s current research involves the development of innovative combination therapies for the treatment of cancer. His focus is on understanding mechanisms of tumor progression and therapy resistance, including the influence of tumor cell plasticity and the tumor extracellular matrix on immune cells in the tumor microenvironment.

Areas of Expertise

1) tumor immunology, 2) cancer immunotherapy, 3) tumor progression, 4) tumor resistance to therapy, 5) cancer vaccines

Contact Info

Lucas A. Horn, Ph.D.
Center for Cancer Research
National Cancer Institute
Building 10, Room 8B14
Bethesda, MD 20892
Ph: 240-858-3472
lucas.horn@nih.gov

The main goal of our research is to design and assess the efficacy of novel combination immunotherapies for the treatment of a range of human carcinomas. Our hypothesis-driven preclinical studies are used as rationale for the translation of these therapies into novel clinical trials. To achieve this goal, our research has focused on elucidating how mechanisms of tumor progression and therapy resistance, including tumor cell plasticity, tumor extracellular matrix, suppressive immune cells, and other factors influence the interplay of immune cells and tumor cells in the dynamic tumor microenvironment.

NIH Scientific Focus Areas:
Cancer Biology, Immunology
View Dr. Horn's PubMed Summary.

Selected Recent Publications

  1. Tumor Plasticity and Resistance to Immunotherapy.
    Horn LA, Fousek K, Palena C.
    Trends Cancer. 6(5): 432-441, 2020. [ Journal Article ]
  2. Simultaneous inhibition of CXCR1/2, TGF-β, and PD-L1 remodels the tumor and its microenvironment to drive antitumor immunity.
    Horn LA, Riskin J, Hempel HA, Fousek K, Lind H, Hamilton DH, McCampbell KK, Maeda DY, Zebala JA, Su Z, Schlom J, Palena C.
    J Immunother Cancer. 8(1): e000326, 2020. [ Journal Article ]
  3. Inhibition of MDSC Trafficking with SX-682, a CXCR1/2 Inhibitor, Enhances NK-Cell Immunotherapy in Head and Neck Cancer Models.
    Greene S, Robbins Y, Mydlarz WK, Huynh AP, Schmitt NC, Friedman J, Horn LA, Palena C, Schlom J, Maeda DY, Zebala JA, Clavijo PE, Allen C.
    Clin Cancer Res. 26(6): 1420-1431, 2020. [ Journal Article ]
  4. Inhibiting myeloid-derived suppressor cell trafficking enhances T cell immunotherapy.
    Sun L, Clavijo PE, Robbins Y, Patel P, Friedman J, Greene S, Das R, Silvin C, Van Waes C, Horn LA, Schlom J, Palena C, Maeda D, Zebala J, Allen CT.
    JCI Insight. 4(7): e126853, 2019. [ Journal Article ]
  5. The Use of a Humanized NSG-β2m -/- Model for Investigation of Immune and Anti-tumor Effects.
    Morillon YMI, Smalley Rumfield C, Pellom ST, Sabzevari A, Roller NT, Horn LA, Jochems C, Palena C, Greiner JW, Schlom J.
    Front Oncol. 10: 1548, 2020. [ Journal Article ]

Dr. Lucas Horn received his Ph.D. in Biological Sciences from the University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC) in 2017. He subsequently joined the Laboratory of Tumor Immunology and Biology (LTIB), Center for Cancer Research, NCI, NIH, as a Postdoctoral Fellow, and was appointed as a Staff Scientist in 2020. Dr. Horn’s current research is focused on the development of novel immunotherapeutic approaches aimed at promoting immune cell activation while altering tumor cell plasticity and the suppressive tumor microenvironment.