University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus · Biomedical EngineeringThe Immune Horizon Lab
Riyue Bao · Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Research Focus
Dr. Riyue Bao's lab at the University of Pittsburgh focuses on understanding how certain tumors evade immune therapy, particularly in head and neck cancer. By investigating the role of a specific molecular target, p38 MAPK, the lab aims to improve cancer treatments. Using advanced techniques and large patient data sets, the research seeks to establish new therapeutic strategies that could help re-engage the immune system against tumors.
cancer immunotherapyhead and neck cancerp38 MAPKimmune evasiontumor microenvironment
Research Aims
3AIM 01Establish a causal link between p38 MAPK and resistance to immune checkpoint inhibitors in HPV-negative head and neck cancer.
AIM 02Determine how p38 MAPK distribution affects T cell infiltration in tumors.
AIM 03Investigate additional molecular targets that work with p38 MAPK to enhance immunotherapy.
Skills the Lab Values
cell cultureRNA sequencingmachine learningbioinformaticsmurine modelsclinical trial designimage analysisdrug sensitivity assaysmulti-omics analysis
Output against the department
Publications477top 17% of dept.102nd of 595
this lab
most publishedleast published
Citations14ktop 25% of dept.149th of 595
this lab
most citedleast cited
Career totals from OpenAlex, compared against labs that share a department. A department spans everything from one paper to tens of thousands, so bar heights are on a log scale — otherwise the largest lab would flatten every other bar to a line.