Nicole Scheff, PhD, is an Assistant Professor of Neurobiology. Dr. Scheff’s translation research program investigates whether therapy targeted to peripheral neurons in the cancer microenvironment can alleviate pain and slow tumor progression. Currently, her lab is focused on the immunosuppressive impact of exogenous opioids given for analgesia and methodology to selective silence sensory neuropeptide signaling locally in the tumor to improve response to immunotherapeutic strategies.
Representative Publications
Scheff NN, Nilson ML, Li J, Harris AL, Acharya R, Swartz A, Hsieh RW, Anderson JL, Ferris RL, Menk AV, Delgoffe GM, Zandberg DP. The effect of opioids on the efficacy of immunotherapy in recurrent/metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck. Oral Oncol. 2023 May. doi.org/10.1016/j.oraloncology.2023.106363.