The Laboratory of Dr. Rimsza
Dr. Rimsza is a tenured full professor in Pathology and comprehensive member of the Arizona Cancer Center with wide ranging collaborative and research interests.
Her primary research focuses on the biology of diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL), particularly the investigation of prognostic biomarkers and mechanisms of lost tumor immunosurveillance. DLBCL is the most common form of Non Hodgkin Lymphomas (NHL) and is difficult for pathologists to reproducibly subclassify. Classification of DLBCL into cell-of-origin (COO) subtypes has well-established prognostic value. These subtypes, termed Germinal Center B cell (GCB) and Activated B cell (ABC) also have different genetic alterations and over-expression of different pathways that may serve as therapeutic targets.
Major histocompatibility complex class II (MHCII) molecules are cell surface glycoproteins involved in antigen processing and presentation, and are important for the adaptive immune response. The loss of expression of MHCII is a well-documented poor prognostic factor in patients with lymphoma. Dr. Rimsza observed that MHCII protein can be present, but not on the surface. The lab continues to study the clinical significance of this mislocalization of the MHCII protein.
With the development of DNA-microarray technology for large scale gene expression profiling, it is now possible to obtain a comprehensive genome-wide picture of gene expression alterations associated with normal or disease processes. Recognizing the potential of this technology when coupled with a large tumor/clinical resource, Dr. Rimsza’s lab joined the international collaborative group, the Lymphoma/Leukemia Molecular Profiling Project (LLMPP) with a consortium of 8 institutions devoted to the study of lymphoid malignancies. The goals are to establish a new molecular diagnosis of human lymphoid malignancies using gene expression profiling, to elucidate the oncogenic pathways that result in malignant transformation of normal B lymphocytes, and to relate gene expression to clinical outcome, thereby establishing useful prognostic indicators and identifying potential targets for new therapies.
Dr. Rimsza directs the Arizona Lymphoma Repository which includes: Southwest Oncology Group Lymphoma/Myeloma Bank, Lymphoma SPORE grant Tissue Core, AIDS Cancer Specimen Resource Network, and the Arizona Lymphoid Tissue and Blood Repository. Together the combined inventory is greater than 10,000 specimens. The repository including snap-frozen, fresh lymphoid tissue and blood specimens is used to establish clinical correlations and collaborate with the biotech industry on new test development.