Immunotherapy, 
a 
type 

of therapy that has been 
researched 
extensively 
in 

recent years and aims to 
employ the body’s immune sys-
tem to fight off some cancers, 
was a focus of the research led 
by Weiping Zou, the Univer-
sity’s Charles B. de Nancrede 
professor of surgery, immunol-
ogy and biology and the direc-
tor of translational research.

Zou said the fields in which 

the study was based — tumor 
biology and immunotherapy — 
are difficult to work in because 
only a fraction of patients 
respond to the treatment and 
the likelihood of response var-
ies based on a patient’s exist-
ing T-cell count.

“T-cells are the soldiers in 

the immune system,” Zou said. 
“The T-cells kill the tumors, 
so the T-cells are important. 
But the T-cells must be in the 
tumor microenvironment, and 
the T-cells must be also func-
tional in the tumor microen-
vironment. That’s the problem 
we have been working on for 
many years.”

Zou said the tumor microen-

vironment and the tumor itself 
may affect the T-cells because 
they all share the same micro-
environment.

“What we saw is that it turns 

out the T-cells and the tumor 
cells are actually competing 
for glucose in the microen-
vironment,” Zou said. “The 
T-cells are not able to com-
pete efficiently with the tumor 
cells because the tumor cells … 
could be resistant to the harsh 
environment. Therefore, this 
hurts the T-cells. The T-cells 
are not able to be fully func-
tional, and they are not able to 
kill the tumor in an efficient 
manner.”

According to Zou, the study 

ultimately concluded that cur-
rent immunotherapy clinical 
trials with PD-L1 and PD-1 

blockade, which are immuno-
therapy-based inhibitors, indi-
cate that tumors with a high 
number of T-cells were more 
responsive to these immuno-
therapy-based inhibitors than 
tumors with a lower number of 
T-cells.

Though tumor cells are 

killed during chemotherapy 
and radiation therapy, a num-
ber of healthy cells are also 
killed, Zou said. However, in 
the case of immunotherapy, 
the tumor cells are selectively 
killed, rather than employing 
a treatment that could also 
potentially damage cells in the 
rest of the body, as is common 
in chemotherapy.

Additionally, the side effects 

of immunotherapy are more 
manageable and quite mini-
mal. Some patients could be 
cured of cancer, and others 
will have a long-term positive 
response.

“If the patient is not respon-

sive, it means they have very 
few T-cells in the tumor,” Zou 
said. “And even if they have 
T-cells, the T-cells may not be 
functional. One reason may be 
they don’t have sufficient sugar 
because of the competition 
between tumor and T-cells. So 
in that case, we have two ways 
to reprogram it.”

The first is to reprogram the 

T-cells to ensure they move 
into the tumor. Once they’re 
inside, the second aim is to 
make sure they are resistant to 
the harsh tumor environment.

According to Zou, while 

researchers might not be able 
to fix the problem immediate-
ly, they hope the new knowl-
edge may help drive the search 
for a solution. Educational 
institutions and many phar-
maceutical companies are now 
working on finding methods to 
reprogram the T-cells, and the 
research continues to evolve.

“The strategy right now is 

combination,” Zou said. “That 
means you use different ways, 
you combine them together. 
For example, we know now 

that the PD-1 blockade could 
work. But for some patients, 
we don’t see T-cells … So before 
we do this therapy, we can do 
something else, to increase the 
T-cells in the tumor.”

Zou said much of what he 

and his colleagues discuss is 
why some patients are respon-
sive and some other are not.

Pavan Reddy, professor of 

translational 
oncology 
and 

internal medicine, works as a 
tumor immunologist and phy-
sician scientist at the Univer-
sity familiar with this type of 
research.

“The ability to manipulate 

the immune system to get rid 
of cancer is now one of the 
most exciting methods of ther-
apy available,” Reddy said.

T-cells are probably among 

the 
most 
critical 
immune 

cells in the body, specifically 
for eliminating tumor cells, 
Reddy said. However, because 
not all T-cells survive and not 
all are very functional in the 
tumor environment, the paper 
published by Zou and his co-
authors provides fundamental 
insight into potential methods 
to allow the T-cells to become 
functional to kill the cancer 
cells.

“Tumor cells use glucose in 

a unique manner compared to 
normal tissues,” Reddy said. 

Reddy said the research 

shows a surprising but impor-
tant connection between the 
T-cells and their competition 
with cancer cells for glucose. 
He also agreed with Zou, say-
ing the use of immunotherapy 
could present a much more 
precise treatment compared to 
other approaches like chemo-
therapy.

Because it would be difficult 

and impractical to collect data 
on all types of cancers, Reddy 
said, the recent research was 
done specifically with human 
melanoma and ovarian cancer 
samples. However, he said the 
research is likely applicable to 
many other kinds of cancers as 
well.

does to speak to our ethics and our 
system of values, but it has to do 
with how to create campus envi-
ronment that is ideal for learning.”

During the address, Schlissel 

pointed out the importance of stu-
dents feeling safe in their learning 
environment.

“If you feel threatened by sexual 

misconduct, you’re not going to be 
able to learn,” he said. “We won’t 
have an adequate learning envi-
ronment for our children.”

Schlissel spent a large portion 

of the talk relaying the key points 
of the University’s process for 
investigating sexual assault and 
describing how the process creates 
challenges for all parties involved. 
The 
University’s 
approach 
is 

defined as a student disciplinary 
process instead of a criminal one, 
and in 2011, it was changed from 
complaint-driven to investigation-
driven, meaning the University 
must investigate a known episode 
of sexual misconduct.

In addition, Schlissel noted the 

standard of proof for University-
based investigations is based on a 
“preponderance of evidence.”

“If it is more likely than not, 

then the person is found guilty,” 
Schlissel said. “If a ruling is 51 to 
49, the person is found guilty. You 
only need a slight degree of cer-
tainty to adjudicate.”

Phillip 
Margolis, 
professor 

emeritus of psychiatry, introduced 
Schlissel, and noted the President’s 
how his background in medicine 
lends a unique perspective on the 
subject of sexual assault. Schlis-
sel holds a Bachelor of Arts in bio-
chemical sciences from Princeton 
University, and both a medical 
degree and a doctorate in physi-
ological chemistry from Johns 
Hopkins University.

“We need to learn how to 

control, adjudicate and prevent 
aspects of sexual misconduct,” 
Margolis said. “You can’t escape 
this discussion in modern society.”

Throughout the talk, Schlis-

sel repeatedly referenced two 
recent 
campus-wide 
surveys: 

one administered by the Univer-
sity and another national survey 
conductedby the Association of 
American Universities. The Uni-
versity’s survey revealed 11.4 per-
cent of students and 22.5 percent 
of undergraduate females at the 
University reported having experi-
enced some sort of nonconsensual 
sexual behavior at the University.

Women were reported to be 

eight times more likely to be sexu-
ally 
assaulted. 
Undergraduate 

students three times more likely, 
lesbian, gay or bisexual students 
two and a half times, Greek stu-
dents two and a half times, and 
underrepresented minorities two 
times more likely to be sexually 
assaulted then the general popu-
lation. Out of the students who 
responded ‘yes’ to an incident of 
sexual misconduct, 46 percent told 
another person. However, only 3.6 
percent told an official University 
resource.

LSA freshman Kyla Klein had 

a mixed response to the lecture 
overall, saying she felt Schlissel 
relied too heavily on statistics.

“I enjoyed learning about the 

statistics, but I didn’t really see 
anything to go forward from,” she 
said. “I think we have the bodies to 
deal with these issues, but we just 
need more support and resources 
in those bodies.”

Some of the challenges Schlissel 

pointed out included the stigma 
associated with coming forward 
and revealing one’s sexual history, 
the lack of direct witnesses and the 
prevalence of alcohol and binge 
drinking.

The talk touched on the Univer-

sity’s Sexual Assault Prevention 
and Awareness Center and its his-
tory of sexual misconduct preven-
tion.

“This isn’t a Michigan prob-

lem, but a university-aged student 
problem,” he said. “The University 
has really been on the leading edge 
of concern for students over sexual 
assault.”

At the end of his lecture, Schlis-

sel outlined how, going forward, 
the University needs to improve 
the 
investigation, 
adjudication 

and support processes for sexual 
assault. Specifically, he said he 
wanted to increase the number of 
students coming forward, as well 
as support for survivors on cam-
pus. The University is currently 
garnering input to inform a revi-
sion of the University’s Student 
Sexual Misconduct Policy.

“All this is happening in a cul-

ture that I think is very different 
from the one most of us grew up 
in,” he said. “What I am very proud 
of is the University, with its eyes 
wide open, has taken a very honest 
look at itself, and it’s identified its 
problems within itself.”

CANCER
From Page 1A

ETHICS
From Page 1A

2-News

2A — Thursday, November 5, 2015
News
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

THREE THINGS YOU 
SHOULD KNOW TODAY

In her column, Anne 
Katz reflects on her 
grandmother’s life one 

year after her passing and the 
lesson she learned to never stop 
moving. 

>>SEE OPINION, PAGE 4A
2

CAMPUS EVENTS & NOTES

Breast cancer 
diagnosis 
seminar

WHAT: A seminar 
discussing the risks 
associated with receiving 
a mammogram.
WHO: Center for Bioethics 
and Social Sciences in 
Medicine
WHEN: Today at 3 p.m. 

Drum and 
Dance Society 

WHAT: The Tree of 
Life Drum and Dance 
Society performs folkolo-
ric music from Africa, 
Cuba, Brazil and more.
WHO: Gifts of Art
WHEN: Today from 
12:10 p.m. to 1 p.m.
WHERE: University 
Hospitals, First Floor

 The cause of death for 
Lieutenant 
“GI 
Joe” 

Gliniewicz of Fox Lake, 

Illinois was determined a 
suicide, The Chicago Tribune 
reported. The officer faked 
his death to cover evidence of 
corruption. The manhunt for 
his killers reached $300,000.

1

Hedy Habra 
reading

WHAT: Arab-American 
author Hedy Habra 
will read from “Under 
Brushstrokes,” her new 
collection of poetry. There 
will be a book signing 
afterward. 
WHO: Hedy Habra
WHEN: Today from 4 p.m. 
to 5:30 p.m. 
WHERE: Harlan Hacher 
Graduate Library, Gallery, 
Room 100

Jackie Biskupski was 
elected 
Utah’s 
first 

openly gay mayor, The 
Salt 
Lake 
Tribune 

reported. 
Tuesday’s 
vote 

tallies 
showed 
Biskupski 

defeated Salt Lake’s two-
term Mayor Ralph Becker 52 
to 47.8 percent, respectively. 

3

Refugee crisis 
round table

WHAT: A panel of 
professors will talk about 
what forces are driving 
the refugee and migration 
crisis. 
WHO: International 
Institute 
WHEN: Today from 3 p.m. 
to 4:30 p.m. 
WHERE: School of Social 
Work Building, 1840 

Concentration 
camps talk

WHAT: Prof. Dan Stone, 
of the University of 
London, will analyze how 
concentration camps have 
spread across the world 
and become an “institution 
of the modern age.”
WHO: Judaic Studies
WHEN: Today from 4 
p.m. to 5 p.m. 
WHERE: Tisch Hall, 
Room 1014

TUESDAY:

Campus Voices

THURSDAY:
Twitter Talk

FRIDAY:

Photos of the Week

WEDNESDAY:

In Other Ivory Towers

MONDAY:

This Week in History

Wake Up 
seminar

WHAT: Wellness Advocacy 
Keen-ness and Engagement 
in Undergraduate Programs 
lecture where faculty of 
color discuss navigating pre-
dominantly white campus. 
WHO: Office of Academic-
Multicultural Initiatives
WHEN: Today from 
12 p.m. to 1 p.m.
WHERE: Student Activities 

Space policy 

WHAT: For the 2015 Nelson 
 

W. Spencer Lecture, Genene 
Fisher, the executive officer 
at National Centers for 
Environmental Prediction 
will speak on space weather 
services and science policy.
WHEN: Today from 3:30 
p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
WHERE: Space Research 
Building, Room 2246

 
 
 

The University tweeted a 
“Humans of New York”-
inspired post. 

“What’s something you think 
people need to hear more often? 
‘That each person is a miracle.’ 
#WolverinesOfAnnArbor”
 — @Umich

“I respectfully ask that fans conduct 
themselves in a 1st-class manner on 
social media when commenting on play-
ers, opponents & prospects.”
 —@CoachJim4UM

After a 2016 Ohio State football commit 
backed out and Michigan fans rejoiced, 
Harbaugh asked for fans to be kind.

Each week, “Twitter Talk” 
is a forum to print tweets 
that are fun, informative, 
breaking or newsworthy, 
with an angle on the 
University, Ann Arbor and 
the state. All tweets have 
been edited for accurate 
spelling and grammar. 

Michigan Dining announced when 
it is serving Thanksgiving meals.

“Thanksgiving celebration is on 
Weds, 11/18 in all dining halls. And 
Thanksgiving Day dinner is 11/26 
at Hill.” 

 - @MichiganDining

FOLLOW US!

#TMD

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FEEL THE BERN

DAVID SONG/Daily

Community High School student Liam Knight chalks for 
the Bernie Sanders Presidential Campaign on the Diag. 

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Redistricting 
town hall

WHAT: The presentation 
will address whether it is 
fair that Michigan’s elected 
officials draw their own 
district’s boundaries. 
WHO: The League of 
Women Voters of the Ann 
Abror Area
WHEN: Today from 4 p.m 
to 5:30 p.m.
WHERE: Weill Hall, 
O’Neill Classroom, 1230

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