Amy N. Courtney, PhD
Department or Service
Location
- Texas Medical Center
Phone: 832-824-4290
Contact Information
Research Laboratory
Research Area
- Neuroblastoma
Instructor, Department of Pediatrics, Section of Hematology/Oncology, Baylor College of Medicine
Education
| School | Education | Degree | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baylor College of Medicine | post-doctoral fellow | Tumor Immunology | 2013 |
| University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston | PhD | Doctor of Philosophy, Viral Immunology | 2010 |
| Texas A&M University | bachelors | Bachelor of Science | 2003 |
Organization
| Organization Name | Role |
|---|---|
| Advances in Neuroblastoma Research Association (ANRA) | Member |
| American Association of Immunologists (AAI) | Member |
Research Statement
Amy Courtney's main focus in the lab is to examine the impact of natural killer T cells (NKTs) on the neuroblastoma microenvironment. In particular, she is interested in the cross-talk between NKTs and immunosuppressive tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs), which have been shown to correlate with both metastatic disease and poor outcome in neuroblastoma patients. Her work has determined that human NKTs directly target TAMs in both a contact-dependent and -independent manner. Currently, she is utilizing a transgenic murine model of neuroblastoma to further explore the role of NKT-TAM interactions in tumor immune surveillance.
As part of our recently initiated first-in-human CAR NKT cell clinical trial in children with neuroblastoma (NCT03294954), she will perform correlative studies on patient samples to determine the effect of the adoptively transferred CAR NKTs on a variety of immune cell subsets. In addition, she is optimizing established procedures for isolation and ex vivo expansion of NKTs from human peripheral blood (Heczey et al, Blood, 2014).
Selected Publications
Awards
2016 AAI Abstract Trainee Award and oral presenter, 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association of Immunologists (AAI)
2012 AAI Abstract Trainee Award and oral presenter, 99th Annual Meeting of the American Association of Immunologists (AAI)
2012 Keystone Future Science Fund Travel Scholarship, The Role of Inflammation during Carcinogenesis Conference, Keystone Symposia
2012 Prize for oral presentation, Texas Children’s Cancer and Hematology Centers 8th Annual Research Symposium
2009 Travel Scholarship, 5th International Symposium on CD1/NKT Cells
2009 Prize for poster presentation, 1st Annual GSBS Immunology Program Retreat
2007 Smith Educational Program Fellowship