The Best of the AACR Journals Collection: Author Profiles

Sandra Demaria

Title & Affiliation:
Professor of Radiation Oncology and Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, New York.

Most-cited Article:
Exosomes Shuttle TREX1-Sensitive IFN-Stimulatory dsDNA from Irradiated Cancer Cells to DCs

Q: What is your primary area of study/research?
A: The central interest of my research is understanding the molecular mechanisms that regulate ionizing radiation’s ability to immunize patients against their tumor in both preclinical models and cancer patients, in order to develop personalized combinations of radiotherapy and immunotherapy.

Q: What influenced your decision to embark on a research career?
A: I have always been curious and fascinated by science. When I started medical school in Italy, I was fortunate to be accepted in a research lab that was studying the immune system and I fell in love with immunology. I feel privileged to have been able to craft a career according to my passions.

Q; What excites you most about your research area?
A: As a physician, the most exciting and rewarding thing is to see that something that came out of my lab can benefit patients. We are beginning to see that some patients treated with radiation have improved responses to immunotherapy. We have a long way to go, but this gives me hope that we are on the right track.

Q: What are your hobbies or passions outside of work?
A: I grew up in the Alps and love everything that you can do in the mountains, like skiing and hiking. As an Italian, I love good food and good wine; but more than a passion it is a necessity, as it is to share a good meal with my friends and family. I also love music and the performing arts, and I learned from my children a lot about both. My hobby is writing short stories.