Seminar Series

Yi Fan’s research examines how the tumor microenvironment—particularly vascular and immune systems—shapes cancer progression, treatment resistance, and recovery after injury. With a PhD in Pathology from Case Western Reserve University, an MD from the Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, and postdoctoral training at Cleveland Clinic, Fan’s work spans glioblastoma and other solid tumors, with implications for both cancer therapy and regenerative medicine.

His lab has identified mechanisms by which tumor-associated blood vessels and immune cells contribute to resistance to standard therapies, including anti-angiogenic drugs and immunotherapy. This includes evidence that endothelial cell transformation can drive abnormal vasculature and limit treatment response, as well as findings on how vascular signaling influences immune suppression in tumors. Building on this, Fan’s group has proposed new approaches such as “vascular de-transformation” and strategies to improve immune cell infiltration across tumor vasculature.

The seminar will touch on efforts to address one of the central challenges in oncology: overcoming resistance in solid tumors. This includes work on cancer stem cells, DNA repair pathways, and the role of the microenvironment in shaping therapeutic outcomes. You will get a closer look at emerging strategies aimed at reprogramming the tumor microenvironment to support anti-tumor immunity and improve treatment response—an area of growing relevance across cancer research.

Sponsored by Case CCC and the Molecular Oncology Program