About

The development and progression of solid tumors is strongly influenced by interactions among tumor, immune and stromal cells. Immunotherapy exploits this by blocking the ability of tumor cells to inhibit normal immunoediting, particularly by T cells. The development, over the last few years, of spatial profiling methods has made it possible to determine the identities and states of diverse cell types with a preserved 3D tumor microenvironment. These methods include highly multiplexed tissue imaging, high-plex fluorescence in situ hybridization and spatial transcriptomics. The goal of the Ludwig Tumor Atlas is to use these methods to create spatial atlases of cancers that reveal key features of the transformed state in primary and metastatic settings and identify recurrent spatial features predictive of response to therapy. We aim to use information on these features to create a new generation of diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers.

The Ludwig Tumor Atlas project brings together investigators from across the U.S. and Europe to investigate the basis of intrinsic and acquired resistance to anti-cancer drugs and to develop therapies for overcoming resistance.

Video Overview

“Profiling of the Tumor Microenvironment to Improve Diagnosis and Therapy” was presented at a Ludwig Scientific Insights webinar on March 9, 2022. It provides an introduction to the Ludwig Tumor Atlas project and highlights of early atlas projects with collaborators from the Ludwig Branch at Lausanne, Ludwig Center at MIT, and Ludwig Center at Harvard.

Contact

This site is maintained by the Ludwig Tumor Atlas program team. If you have questions or would like additional information about the project, please contact Alyce Chen, Ludwig Tumor Atlas Program Manager (alyce_chen@hms.harvard.edu).