Publications by authors named "R Michael Alvarez"

Osteosarcoma is a rare disease, but it is the most frequent malignant bone tumor. Primary treatment consists of preoperative MAP (methotrexate (MTX), doxorubicin and cisplatin) chemotherapy followed by surgery and adjuvant chemotherapy. Pathological response to preoperative chemotherapy is one of the most important prognostic factors, but molecular biomarkers are lacking.

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Introduction: Pembrolizumab stands as a first-line option for patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and high programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression (PD-L1 ≥50%). Several factors such as antibiotic exposure, low body mass index (BMI), certain metastatic location or poor performance status may influence outcomes.

Methods: We conducted a multicenter retrospective analysis in a cohort of patients with advanced high PD-L1 expression NSCLC treated with first-line pembrolizumab in clinical practice.

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Engagement in scientific discourse is an essential part of becoming a scientist. In this exploratory study, we aim to examine the scientific discourse (and resulting benefits) between undergraduate biology students and professional scientists. We developed a novel method for engaging in scientific discourse, grounded in the theory of legitimate peripheral participation, where undergraduate biology students participate in communities of practice within their own departments.

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The adaptive immune system holds invaluable information on past and present immune responses in the form of B and T cell receptor sequences, but we are limited in our ability to decode this information. Machine learning approaches are under active investigation for a range of tasks relevant to understanding and manipulating the adaptive immune receptor repertoire, including matching receptors to the antigens they bind, generating antibodies or T cell receptors for use as therapeutics, and diagnosing disease based on patient repertoires. Progress on these tasks has the potential to substantially improve the development of vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostics, as well as advance our understanding of fundamental immunological principles.

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The professional identity of scientists has historically been cultivated to value research over teaching, which can undermine initiatives that aim to reform science education. Course-Based Research Experiences (CRE) and the inclusive Research and Education Communities (iREC) are two successful and impactful reform efforts that integrate research and teaching. The aim of this study is to explicate the professional identity of instructors who implement a CRE within an established iREC and to explore how this identity contributes to the success of these programs.

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