Rate My Professor Janet Rhodes

Janet Rhodes' PhD research centers on the immunology of colorectal cancer (CRC), investigating how immune cells within the tumor microenvironment influence patient outcomes. Her project, titled 'Refining prognostic accuracy in colorectal cancer patients,' employs novel multiplex immunohistochemistry techniques to assess immune cell infiltration in tumors from 800 New Zealand CRC patients. This work aims to validate and adapt the immunoscore prognostic tool for the local population, potentially improving staging, treatment selection, and survival predictions for CRC, New Zealand's second leading cause of cancer death. She explores pro- and anti-tumor immune responses to identify markers correlating with better or worse prognosis and considers applications to other gastrointestinal malignancies. Rhodes has received significant recognition for her contributions, including the 2018 Health Research Council Clinical Research Fellowship (36 months, NZ$292,996), the 2019 Gut Cancer Foundation Award, the 2019 Richard Stewart Fund, and the 2019 American Association of Immunologists Travel for Techniques Award. Key publications include 'Multiparametric analysis of colorectal cancer immune responses' (Immunology & Cell Biology, 2018) and 'Tertiary lymphoid structures in cancer – considerations for patient stratification' (Clinical & Translational Immunology, 2020). Her efforts also extend to interests in tissue banking to mitigate health outcome inequities.