My Fulbright Future research aims to develop revolutionary new techniques for early identification of head and neck cancer metastasis and immunotherapies to reduce metastatic potential.
Connor is an Otorhinolaryngology, Head & Neck (ORL-HNS) Surgeon specialising in Head & Neck Oncology (HNO) and a Research Fellow at the John Curtin School of Medical Research, The Australian National University. His research focus explores our understanding of the immune system, specifically neutrophils and their neutrophil extracellular trap (NET) state, and development of immunotherapies.
Within the University of Virginia Head and Neck Oncology & Microvascular Reconstruction Department, led by Associate Professor Shonka, Connor will use his Fulbright Futures Scholarship to investigate the potential for NETs to identify HNC metastasis before our most sensitive imaging techniques; subsequently testing a novel therapeutic agent to determine whether it mitigates their role in metastasis. Hopefully identifying a more sensitive measure for HNC metastasis and a novel therapy to reduce cancer metastasis.