Traditionally, tumor immunology has been chiefly centered on T lymphocytes, but T cells do not work alone. A coordinated humoral response with cellular arm of adaptive immunity develops robust and sustained effectiveness and long-term memory. Although, B lymphocytes have been correlated with cancer-promoting activities, recent evidence exhibit that humoral response is associated with immune protection in multiple cancers. The cross-talk of B lymphocytes with other immune cells at tumor beds, apart from T cells, is an area that needs to be thoroughly investigated. Germinal center formation in epithelial malignancies is a complex process that ensures production of protective anti-tumor antibodies at tumor beds, and we speculate that orchestration of tertiary-lymphoid-structures that eventually leads to germinal centers is largely dependent on non-B, non-T immune and non-immune cells. Utilizing the enduring knowledge in the field of cancer biology and tumor immunology, the long-term goal of the Mandal laboratory at DBT-Institute of Life Sciences is to build a comprehensive understanding of how the cells in the tumor microenvironment direct the nature of spontaneous immune pressure at different solid cancers within the tumor microenvironment, with a special focus on cancers that specifically affects women. The immediate aim of our lab is to holistically examine the impact of crosstalk between cancer cells and tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes and other immune cells in driving or dampening a sustained, robust anti-tumor immune response.

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