Dr. Braun, who has been co-mentored by Dr. Toni Chouieri (Dana-Farber Cancer Institute), Dr. Catherine Wu (Dana-Farber Cancer Institute), and Dr. Marcus Bosenberg (Yale School of Medicine) is currently working to develop an improved understanding of how the immune system effectively responds to renal cell carcinoma (RCC), and how this relates to how a tumor might respond or become resistant to immunotherapy. His project will systematically identify unique molecular targets within RCC, so-called tumor antigens, which may serve as critical components to engage the immune system (CD8+ T cells) that infiltrates the tumor microenvironment. Additionally, Dr. Braun will define the specific antigens commonly recognized by tumor-resident T cells through an analysis of T cell receptor (TCR) clonality from patient tumor samples. Armed with these two important pieces of information, he will evaluate tumor biopsies from patients undergoing immune checkpoint inhibition therapy to determine if specific tumor antigens and/or TCRs are associated with improved patient outcomes. If ultimately successful, this work will provide information on which patients may derive the most benefit from immune checkpoint inhibition, and explain why others harbor tumors that do not respond. Additionally, this project may also illuminate possible new targets, against which future immune-based therapies can be developed and rapidly advanced into new clinical trials.