The Kesari Lab at The Lundquist Institute (TLI) is dedicated to advancing precision and translational medicine for rare and aggressive cancers, with a strong focus on overcoming treatment resistance and understanding tumor–immune interactions within the tumor microenvironment (TME). Our mission is to bridge molecular discovery and clinical application through integrated research in cancer biology, immunology, and computational modeling using patient samples and pre-clinical models. By combining mechanistic insights with patient-centered research, we aim to accelerate the development of personalized therapies that improve survival and quality of life for patients with difficult-to-treat malignancies. The lab’s translational efforts are closely partnered with Asthra Health, where laboratory discoveries are transformed into early-phase and precision-guided clinical trials.
- Treatment Resistance: Defining molecular and metabolic adaptations that enable tumor cells to survive therapeutic pressure, with emphasis on signaling and stress-response pathways.
- Tumor Microenvironment (TME): Investigating how stromal and immune components shape tumor behavior, influence therapy response, and promote resistance.
- Immuno-Oncology and Cytokine Signaling: Studying how chronic inflammatory signaling drives immune tolerance and escape across solid tumors, including glioblastoma.
- Precision and Translational Medicine: Applying genomic, transcriptomic, and proteomic analyses to guide individualized treatment strategies and biomarker-driven clinical trials.
- Non-invasive Liquid Biopsy based Molecular Assays: Including ctDNAs, CTCs, and small-molecule profiling to identify biomarkers and therapeutic targets, as well as monitor tumor dynamics and treatment response.
The Kesari Lab collaborates with Asthra Health to design and conduct translational and early-phase clinical trials derived from laboratory research. Our joint mission is to translate mechanistic insights from the lab into patient-specific therapies and rational combination approaches targeting resistance mechanisms and the tumor microenvironment.
- Translational research collaboration and biomarker validation
- Preclinical compound testing and mechanism-of-action studies
- Access to patient-derived and 3D tumor models
- Bioinformatics and pathway analysis support
Our Team
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
Santosh Kesari, MD, PhD
Dr. Kesari is a neurologist–scientist and board-certified neuro-oncologist whose research bridges laboratory discovery with clinical translation. His work focuses on rare and aggressive cancers, emphasizing therapy resistance, tumor evolution, and precision-guided treatment strategies.
RESEARCH FELLOW
Elnaz Rahbarlayegh, PhD
Dr. Rahbarlayegh is a cancer research scientist studying how chronic inflammatory signals reshape the tumor microenvironment and drive therapeutic resistance. Her research integrates transcriptomic profiling, molecular biology, and immune analysis to uncover pathways that can be targeted to restore anti-tumor response.
Volunteer Opportunities
We welcome motivated postdoctoral fellows, students, and collaborators who share our commitment to advancing translational oncology and precision medicine. For inquiries, please contact Dr. Elnaz Rahbarlayegh at [email protected].
Partnerships
The Kesari Lab collaborates closely with:
- Asthra Health for translational clinical trials and precision oncology initiatives
- Other research labs at The Lundquist Institute
- Industry and biotech partners for drug development, biomarker discovery, and resistance modeling
- Academics for molecular and computational oncology studies
Contact Us
The Kesari Lab is located in the Hanley-Hardison Research Center at The Lundquist Institute for Biomedical Innovation at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center.
1124 W. Carson St. Torrance, CA. 90502
Download a map of our campus here.
Support This Work
Inspired by The Kesari Lab’s research? Take part in their efforts today!