Dr. Patrick Hwu sits down with Dr. Greg Delgoffe, professor of immunology at the University of Pittsburgh and director of the Tumor Microenvironment Center at UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, to explore how the tumor microenvironment functions as a complex, dynamic ecosystem that shapes the success or failure of cancer immunotherapy.

Together, they unpack how tumors are far more than just cancer cells—consisting instead of diverse populations of immune cells, stromal cells, and cancer cells all interacting within a shared and often hostile environment. Dr. Delgoffe explains how cancer cells actively reshape that environment by competing for and consuming key nutrients, effectively starving immune cells and limiting their ability to mount an effective response. The conversation dives into the emerging field of immunometabolism, revealing how metabolic competition within tumors can determine immune cell function and ultimately influence whether immunotherapy works.

What You’ll Learn with Dr. Delgoffe

• What the tumor microenvironment is and why it’s more than just cancer cells.
• How immune cells and tumor cells compete for space, nutrients and control.
• How metabolism shapes immune function and cancer’s ability to evade attack.
• Why understanding these cellular “interactions” is key to improving immunotherapy.