Brian Koss

Federal Grant PI

Assistant Professor

University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences

faculty

Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, College of Medicine

17 h-index 75 pubs 1,899 cited

Research Areas

Cancer-related molecular mechanisms research DNA Repair Mechanisms Immune Response and Inflammation T-cell and B-cell Immunology Cancer Immunotherapy and Biomarkers Protein Structure and Dynamics Genomics and Chromatin Dynamics

Links

ORCID Lab Website UAMS TRI Profile

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OverviewAI-generated summary

Brian Koss investigates molecular mechanisms underlying cancer development and progression, with a particular focus on the DNA damage response and T cell function. His research explores how specific genes and cellular processes contribute to tumorigenesis and how these mechanisms can be targeted for therapeutic intervention. He has published on the role of NEK2 in tumor progression and how epigenetic modifications can influence cancer cell apoptosis. Additionally, his work examines the impact of chemical inhibitors on T cell activation and cytotoxicity, and how factors like resveratrol can modulate antigen presentation in melanoma.

Koss is a principal investigator on two federal grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). One grant, funded by the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, focuses on discovering T cell proteome turnover dynamics to overcome the solid tumor microenvironment. The second grant, from the National Cancer Institute, aims to leverage cancer-evolved resistance mechanisms to enhance EZH2 activity in adoptive T cells. These projects highlight his commitment to advancing cancer immunology and therapy through rigorous scientific inquiry.

His scholarly output includes 75 publications with an h-index of 17 and over 1,800 citations. Koss actively collaborates with researchers at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, including Daniel Fil, Lora J. Rogers, Billie Heflin, and Jacob L. Edmondson, with whom he has co-authored numerous publications.

Metrics

h-index: 17
Publications: 75
Citations: 1,899

Selected Publications

Proteostasis sustains T cell differentiation potential and tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte function (2026) DOI
743 Proteostasis sustains T cell differentiation potential and tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte function (2025) DOI
685 EZH2 inhibition impairs CD8+ CAR-T cell persistence (2025) DOI
691 ATF6 activation promotes ICB response in melanoma (2025) DOI
762 CD28 costimulation induces PCK2 to support T cell effector function in metabolically hostile environments (2025) DOI
236 Manipulating the DNA damage response to combat T cell exhaustion and improve immunotherapy response (2025) DOI
277 Proteome turnover dynamics analysis uncovers E3 ligases that enhance T-cell persistence during exhaustion (2025) DOI
392 Donor-intrinsic proteomic programs shape CAR-T cell persistence across a longitudinal killing assay (2025) DOI
Comprehensive Analysis of Proteome Turnover Dynamics During T Cell Exhaustion (2025) DOI
EZH2 loss during metabolic stress drives restoration of MHC class I machinery in melanoma (2025) DOI
DNA-PKcs Controls the Cytotoxic T-Cell Response to Cancer and Transplant Allograft Through Regulating LAT-Dependent Signaling (2025) DOI
DNA-PKcs governs LAT-dependent signaling in CD4 <sup>+</sup> and CD8 <sup>+</sup> T cells (2025) DOI
The Role of CST6 in Immunosuppression in the Multiple Myeloma Microenvironment (2024) DOI
1132 Enhancing melanoma therapy efficacy by protecting EZH2 activity in T cells (2024) DOI
376 Inhibition of GSK3β-mediated 53BP1 T334 phosphorylation in T cells enhances infiltration and cytotoxicity against head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (2024) DOI

Federal Grants 2 $767,586 total

NIH/National Cancer Institute Co-PI Jun 2024 - May 2026

Leveraging cancer-evolved resistance mechanisms to enhance EZH2 activity in adoptive T cells

National Cancer Institute $393,401 R21

NIH/National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research Contact PI Sep 2021 - Aug 2026

Discovering T cell proteome turnover dynamics to overcome the solid tumor microenvironment

National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research $374,185 DP5

Grants & Funding

Leveraging cancer-evolved resistance mechanisms to enhance EZH2 activity in adoptive T cells NIH/Nat. Cancer Institute Principal Investigator
Leveraging cancer-evolved resistance mechanisms to enhance EZH2 activity in adoptive T cells NIH/Nat. Cancer Institute Principal Investigator
Epigenetic regulation of metabolic stress pathways in melanoma infiltrating lymphocytes NIH/Nat. Cancer Institute Principal Investigator
Leveraging cancer-evolved resistance mechanisms to enhance EZH2 activity in adoptive T cells NIH Co-Principal Investigator
Discovering T cell proteome turnover dynamics to overcome the solid tumor microenvironment NIH Principal Investigator
Discovering T cell proteome turnover dynamics to overcome the solid tumor microenvironment NIH/Office of the Director Principal Investigator
Epigenetic regulation of metabolic stress pathways in melanoma infiltrating lymphocytes NIH/Nat. Cancer Institute Principal Investigator
DNA-PKcs Regulation of LAT-Mediated Early TCR Signaling in CD4+ and CD8+ T Cells NIH Co-Principal Investigator