I am a hepatobiliary and pancreatic surgical oncologist at NYU. Our lab is studying inflammation and the inflammation-cancer paradigm within the liver and pancreas. We are interested in numerous aspects of the biology of the pancreatic tumor microenvironment and its influence on epithelial mutagenesis. Our recent investigations have examined the role of novel pattern recognition receptors, intratumoral dendritic cells, and novel T cell subpopulations. We have also examined the role of chemokines and signaling molecules in mediating epithelial-stromal crosstalk. Additionally, we have an emerging vaccine program where we immunize mice genetically predisposed to develop pancreatic cancer with tumor-derived proteins linked to novel immune adjuvants. We have an important effort in translating our discoveries to the clinic. Our research in liver inflammation has focused on the role of antigen-presenting cells and novel innate cellular subsets and signaling receptors in mediating acute liver injury and chronic liver inflammation leading to fibrosis and carcinoma.