Studying Nanotechnology-based Cancer Therapies

Caylee Silvers is a PhD student in the Driskill Graduate Program in Life Sciences (DGP). After studying tumor development during her time at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, Silvers came to Northwestern to pursue research on cancer immunotherapy. 

Where is your hometown?    

I’m from Deerfield, Illinois, a northern suburb of Chicago.  

What sparked your interest in science or medicine?       

My interest in science and medicine began during my undergraduate research at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, where I studied how the immune system influences tumor development. This experience sparked my curiosity about the tumor microenvironment and inspired me to pursue research developing therapies that help the immune system fight cancer. 

What are your research interests?        

I am deeply interested in cancer immunotherapy and in developing new nanotechnology-based therapies that can better engage the immune system to fight tumors. My broader goal is to create treatments that help more patients respond effectively to immunotherapy and improve overall outcomes. 

What are you currently working on?        

Under the mentorship of Deyu Fang, PhD, and Peng Zhang, PhD, I am studying how immune-regulatory pathways influence antigen presentation and am developing cell-targeted mRNA lipid nanoparticles to modulate these pathways within tumors. 

Please tell us about a defining moment in your education at Feinberg thus far.    

A defining moment in my education at Feinberg has been establishing a co-mentorship with Dr. Fang and Dr. Zhang. Working with both mentors is giving me interdisciplinary training in immunology and nanotechnology, helping me develop the skills and insights needed to pursue independent research on innovative cancer therapies. 

What do you hope to do with your degree?     

With my degree, I aim to become an independent principal investigator leading a lab dedicated to developing nanotechnology-based immunotherapies. My goal is to advance cancer research by creating innovative treatments that help more patients respond to immunotherapy and ultimately broaden access to life-saving therapies.