Pinilla Lab
Meet the team DEDICATED MEMBERS OF THE PINILLA-IBARZ LAB
Javier Pinilla Ibarz, MD, Ph.D
Senior Member
Department of Immunology and Malignant Hematology
Head of Lymphoma
Director of Immunotherapy
Email: Javier.pinilla@moffitt.org
Phone: (813)-745-6335
Area of Research: Currently I am a Senior Member, Head of the Lymphoma Service, and Director of Immunotherapy in the Department of Malignant Hematology at the Moffitt Cancer Center. Yearly, more than 1000 new consultation for lymphomas are seen at the clinic and there are available database with detail clinical annotation. Clinical samples are currently banked under several research protocols. Our laboratory is interested in implementing new epigenetic immunotherapeutic strategies in the field of lymphomas.. In previous publications, we identified epigenetically inducible antigens (EIAs) for CLL. We have also reported the increase of surface expression of costimulatory molecules in these cells by using certain histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACi) as well in combination with DNA methyltransferase inhibitors (DNMTi). We have demonstrated a more effective immunological interaction between malignant B cell and T cells after epigenetic manipulation. More recently we have been studied the role of HDAC6 in the B cell biology, demonstrating its potential role as target by HDAC6 inhibition and the capability to induce T cell reprograming. Additionally, our lab is vested in investigating the immunomodulatory role of PI3 kinase inhibitors in NHL.
Eva Sahakian, Ph.D
Senior Research Scientist/Clinical Science Lab
Moffitt Cancer Center
Department of Immunology & Malignant Hematology
Assistant Professor/Oncologic Sciences
USF Morsani College of Medicine
Email: eva.sahakian@moffitt.org
Phone: (813) 745-8439
I am a senior research scientist fellow with 14+ years of basic science research experience in cellular and molecular biology, genetics, and immunology. Presently I work with Dr. Javier Pinilla-Ibarz laboratory at Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute with affiliations in Departments of Immunology/Clinical Science Labs and Division of Malignant Hematology. I also hold an academic rank of assistant professor at University of South Florida’s Morsani College of Medicine in the department of oncologic sciences. The underlying principle of our studies in our laboratories is to better understand the biology of particular B-cells malignancies. The central focus of our studies is to demonstrate that the expression of specific HDACs can influence the immunobiology of B-cell malignancies. In addition we hypothesize that genetic and/or pharmacologic manipulation of these HDACs in combination with other BCR signaling inhibitors may lead to a more specific immunomodulatory and epigenetic-based therapies. The goal of our laboratory is to evaluate novel strategies designed to 1-circumvent the lack of immunogenicity in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), 2-reverse impaired T cell polarization (by inhibiting PI3Kd), and 3-improve defective immune-synapse in CLL. Finally, our studies will culminate in a proof-of-concept investigation of clinical samples and a mouse model. Our studies will offer a solid basis for the design for future combination studies, and we anticipate that these studies will provide key insights into novel and effective immunotherapeutic strategies.
Kamira Maharaj, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Moffitt Cancer Center
Department of Immunology
Email: kamira.maharaj@moffitt.org
Phone: (813) 745-6333
I am a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Moffitt Cancer Center with 9+ years of basic science research experience in the Cancer Biology field. Presently I am under the mentorship of Dr. Pinilla-Ibarz. The underlying principle of my studies is to enhance cancer immunotherapy through basic science approaches. In my current postdoctoral work, I aim to investigate the immunomodulatory therapeutic capacity of CK1 epsilon in graft-versus-host disease, a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in patients faced with hematological malignacies. These studies will offer a solid basis for the design for future combination studies and repurposing, and we anticipate that these studies will provide key insights into novel and effective immunotherapeutic strategies.
Wael Gamal, M.Sc.
Graduate Research Assistant
Department of Immunology, Moffitt Cancer Center
Integrated Biomedical Sciences Program
USF Morsani College of Medicine
Email: wael.gamal@moffitt.org
Phone: (813) 745-6335
I am a Ph.D. student in the Biomedical Sciences Program at University of South Florida. I had my bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Pharmaceutical Sciences from Cairo University in Egypt. Currently I am working as a graduate research assistant in Dr. Javier Pinilla-Ibarz laboratory at Moffitt Cancer Center. The main focus of my research is to gain a better understanding of the defective crosstalk between T-cells and malignant B-cells in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Using clinical patient samples and CLL mouse models, my target will be to explore the effect of different B-cell receptor (BCR) signaling inhibitors like BTK and PI3K inhibitors, and epigenetic modifiers like HDAC inhibitors on reprogramming the dysfunctional T-cell compartment in CLL. Interrogating more durable T-cell phenotypes with improved expansion potential will allow us to design novel CAR-T therapy modalities with high in-vivo persistence for CLL patient treatment. Moreover, one of my main research interests is to investigate the metabolic alterations affecting the T-cell compartment in relation to the B-cell malignancy in CLL. Linking the effect of BCR signaling inhibitors with the T-cell metabolic activity in CLL can provide us with a new perspective for the mode of action of these drugs which can be used for improving their clinical therapeutic benefits.
Publications:
- Bansal A, Gamal W, Wu X, Yang Y, Olson V, D'Souza MJ. Evaluation of an adjuvanted hydrogel-based pDNA nanoparticulate vaccine for rabies prevention and immunocontraception. Nanomedicine: Nanotechnology, Biology and Medicine. 2019 Oct 1;21:102049.
- Gamal W, Fahmy RH, Mohamed MI. Development of novel amisulpride-loaded solid self-nanoemulsifying tablets: preparation and pharmacokinetic evaluation in rabbits. Drug development and industrial pharmacy. 2017 Sep 2;43(9):1539-47.
- Gamal W, Fahmy RH, Mohamed MI. Development of novel amisulpride-loaded liquid self-nanoemulsifying drug delivery systems via dual tackling of its solubility and intestinal permeability. Drug development and industrial pharmacy. 2017 Sep 2;43(9):1530-8.
Angimar Uriepero, MD, MSc
Postdoctoral Fellow
Clinical Science Division, Moffitt Cancer Center
Email: Angimar.Uriepero@moffitt.org
Phone: (813)-745-6335
I’m a Postdoctoral fellow at Moffitt Cancer Center focusing on haemato-oncology research. I strongly believe that as a doctor, I must be empathetic with my patients and offer the best attention and treatment available, but sometimes the best option is still insufficient. For that reason, I started to do research in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL). I got my medical degree at Central University of Venezuela, and then I moved to Uruguay to complete a master’s in medical sciences at ‘Institut Pasteur de Montevideo’. During my master’s I had two main research projects: one of them was aimed in study the impact of proliferative fractions and AID expression in CLL progression, the second was to understand how inflammasome signals can modulate a more aggressive disease. Both studies provided new information about the impact of microenvironment signals in CLL physiopathology. In my current postdoctoral work in Dr. Pinilla-Ibarz Laboratory, I continue doing research in CLL, working with human samples and mice models to deep inside how pro-inflammatory and immunomodulatory signals can be promoting disease progression and treatment refractoriness.
Melanie Mediavilla-Varela Ph.D.
Research Lab Coordinator
Clinical Science Division, Moffitt Cancer Center
Email: Melanie.Mediavilla-Varela@moffitt.org
Phone: (813)-745-6335
I am the Research Lab Coordinator in Dr. Javier Pinilla-Ibarz laboratory. I have +14 years of experience in molecular/cell biology, immunology and flow cytometry. Current studies involve interrogating the role of Pi3K in the dysfunctional T-cell/B-cell interaction in CLL.