ABOUT
Jennifer Jacob is an Assistant Professor in the Departments of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology and Pharmacology & Toxicology.
Dr. Jacob obtained her Ph.D. in Immunogenetics from Michigan State University studying the impact of stress on the immune response. She then studied at the Karmanos Cancer Institute in Detroit, for her post-doctoral work, understanding the interplay between tumor immunity and autoimmunity. Prior to joining MSU, Dr. Jacob headed a team analyzing bispecific antibodies in Immune Competent Mouse Model in the Oncology Group at Regeneron Pharmaceutical, then served as a Senior Research Scientist at Wayne State University.
RESEARCH
Dr. Jacob’s research aims to find the genetic factors that control the development of cancer by combining genetic data from genetically diverse mice with single-cell RNA sequencing data from models of spontaneous mammary tumors. These models with diverse genetic backgrounds help us find specific genetic areas (QTL) that influence epithelial cell transformation, tumor growth, and immune response.
Oncogene regulatory genes within QTL are identified, confirmed in mice, and verified with human cancer survival data. By using single-cell RNA and spatial sequencing, we can identify the specific cell types involved and find potential targets for treatment. Once targets are identified, we study how they work, whether they can be targeted by drugs, and potential adverse events.
