LeMoyne Habimana-Griffin, MD, PhD

My research will focus on understanding how the human microbiome influences cancer progression and response to treatment.

I am interested in how the human microbiome influences cancer progression and treatment response. Under the mentorship of Dr. Federico Rey, Professor of Bacteriology in the Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, and Dr. Randall Kimple, Professor and Associate Chair of Faculty and Business Development in the Department of Human Oncology, I aim to elucidate how microbial metabolism of dietary nutrients affect responses to radiotherapy. Using preclinical head and neck tumor models, gnotobiotic mice, and metagenomic and metabolic profiling of patient samples, I hope to develop microbiome-targeted interventions that improve the therapeutic ratio of cancer treatment.