Douglas Murray Postdoctoral Melanoma Surgical Oncology Research Fellow;
General Surgery Resident
Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University School of Medicine
Shannon Swisher is a General Surgery Resident at Emory University, who was selected as the Douglas Murray Surgical Oncology Melanoma Post-Doctoral Research Fellow for her research sabbatical. Under the guidance of Chrystal Paulos, PhD, an expert in the field of cancer immunology and cellular therapies, she is exploring mechanisms by which T cells generate a potent, durable immune response to leverage these qualities to improve outcomes for patients with advanced melanoma. Her previous research experience has provided her with the skillset to be a productive, impactful physician scientist. In addition to experiments at the bench, she has already published an article on the management of locoregional melanoma, performed data collection and analysis of a recently completed clinical trial investigating the use of a novel immunotherapeutic agent in melanoma, and has made significant contributions to the aims and experimental design in a multi-investigator grant submission. Her enthusiasm and desire to better understand the complex cellular interactions that drive disease progression and recurrence invigorate those around her and have led to her productivity in her current and past research roles. Her passion for research is evident and invigorates those around her. Upon completion of her General Surgery training at Emory, she plans to pursue a Fellowship in Complex General Surgical Oncology and ultimately a career in academia that would allow her to remain clinically engaged, perform research, and help mentor the next generation of physician scientists. Her dedication and interpersonal skills will undoubtedly help her excel and make a significant impact in the clinical management of patients with cancer and in the field of cancer immunology.