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Frederick Allen, PhD

Postdoctoral Fellow

Department of Pediatrics, CWRU SOM

Email: ffa5@case.edu

Fred Allen is originally from Cleveland, OH and attended Saint Peter Chanel and Bedford High Schools. After graduating he enlisted in the United States Navy where he served on the aircraft U.S.S. Constellation CV64 as an Aviation Electrician. Thereafter, he joined the United States Naval Reserves where he switched careers to become a Navy Combat Hospital Corpsman and served with the 4th Marine Division, 3rd Battalion, 25th Marines at the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps Reserve center in Akron, Ohio. During this time, he also attended the University of Akron where he received B.S. degrees in Microbiology and Animal Physiology with a minor in Chemistry. After graduating he matriculated to Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, OH where he joined the Nutrition wing of the Biochemistry department as a Research Assistant. As a Research Assistant, he trained as a small animal surgeon for mice and rats at the Mouse Metabolic Phenotyping Core where he created and implemented novel surgical approaches for conducting in vivo metabolic experiments for principal investigators across the United States. He eventually became lab manager where he mentored and trained graduate students, surgical fellows, and other technicians in the various small animal surgical techniques. Prior to matriculating to Case’s graduate school, he joined the Postbaccalaureate Research Education Program (PREP; https://case.edu/medicine/prep/) where he received extensive training over the course of 1 year in preparation for graduate school.

 

In the Huang Lab, Fred’s thesis investigated early and late phase cellular and cytokine responses in tumors and secondary lymphoid organs using a chemokine (CCL3)-based immunotherapy vaccine. He was awarded a NSRA F31 grant for his work in investigating cellular and environmental changes in the tumor draining lymph node after the introduction of the chemokine, CCL3. He developed a novel platform for intravital 2-photon laser scanning microscopy of the popliteal in inguinal lymphoid organs. During his tenure as a Ph.D. student he published 3 first author articles and co-authored 5 others in journals such as Nature Medicine, Frontiers in Immunology, Oncoimmunology, Journal of Clinical Investigation, European Journal of Medicine. He has collaborated heavily in diverse research areas with intramural and extramural colleagues, co-authoring papers exploring NK, dendritic, and T cell interactions related to chemokine tumor vaccines, the effects of nutritionally derived compounds on dendritic cells, transcompartmental antigen presenting cell behavior, NK expansion, and epigenetic changes related to tumor metastases.

 

In his free time, Fred works to educate and mentor students from underrepresented areas who are interested in medicine and the biological sciences. Some of these programs include the Summer Medical and Dental Education Program (SMDEP), Summer Program for Undergraduate Research (SPUR), and the Scientific Enrichment Opportunity (SEO).  He works to help fundraise and bring awareness to children who are undergoing treatment for cancer. Aside from his work and volunteer activities, he also enjoys reading science fiction books, spending time with his family and his yearly travels to the Myrtle Beach, SC to relax by the ocean.

 

Education:

1998 – 2005 B.S. Microbiology and Animal Physiology University of Akron, Akron, Ohio

2011 – 2018 Ph.D. Pathology department, immunology track, Case Western Reserve University, School of Medicine

2018 – Present Postdoctoral Scholar, Agne Petrosiute and Huang Labs, Pediatric Department, Case Western Reserve University, School of Medicine

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Professional Memberships:

2014-present American Association of Immunologists

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Awards & Honors:

2013 AAI Minority Scientist Travel Award, Honolulu, Hawaii

2012 – 2015 Research supplemental grant 3R01CA154656-02S1

2017 AAI invited speaker for block symposium, Washington, DC

2014 – 2017 Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA)

2018 Honorable Mention, 2018 Postdoctoral Research ShowCASE Award

 

Publications

  1. James J. Morrow, Ian Bayles, Alister PW Funnell, Tyler E. Miller, Alina Saiakhova, Michael M. Lizardo, Cynthia F. Bartels, Maaike Y. Kapteijn, Stevephen Hung, Arnulfo Mendoza4, Daniel R. Chee, Jay T. Myers, Frederick Allen, Analisa DiFeo, Brian P. Rubin, Alex Y. Huang, Paul S. Meltzer, Lee J. Helman, Piero Picci, Henri Versteeg, John Stamatoyannopolus, Chand Khanna, Peter C. Scacheri. Positively Selected Enhancer Elements Endow Tumor Cells with Metastatic Competence. Nature Medicine. January 15, 2018. doi:10.1038/nm.4475

  2. Allen, F., Bobanga, I., Rauhe, P., Barkauskas, D., Teich, N., Tong, T., Myers, J., Huang, A.Y. CCL3 augments tumor rejection and enhances CD8+ T cell infiltration through NK and CD103+ dendritic cell recruitment via IFN𝛾. OncoImmunology. November 20, 2017. doi.org/10.1080/2162402X.2017.1393598

  3. Allen, F., Myers, J., Tong, A.A., Rauhe, P., Nthale, J., Eid, S., Huang, A.Y. CCL3 augments antitumor immune priming in the tumor draining lymph node. Frontiers in Immunology. October 23, 2017. doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2017.01390

  4. Tong, A.A., Hashem, H., Allen F, Eid, S., Huang, A.Y. Adoptive Natural Killer cell therapy is effective in reducing pulmonary metastasis of Ewing Sarcoma. OncoImmunology. 6:4, e1303586, 2017. March 16, 2017. doi.org/10.1080/2162402X.2017.1303586

  5. Chung, J., Ebens, C.L., Radojcic, V., Perkey, E., Koch, U., Scarpellino, L., Tong, A., Allen, F., Wood, S., Feng, J., Friedman, A., Granadier, D., Tran, I.T., Chai, Q., Onder, L., Yan, M., Reddy, P., Blazar, B.R., Huang, A.Y., Brennan, T.V., Bishop, D.K., Ludewig, B., Siebel, C.W., Radtke, F., Luther, S.A., Maillard, I. Fibroblastic niches prime T cell alloimmunity through Delta-like Notch ligands. J. Clinical Investigation. 127(4): 1574-1588, 2017. March 20, 2017. doi.org/10.1172/JCI89535

  6. Allen, F., Tong, A., Huang, A.Y. Unique trans-compartmental bridge: Antigen Presenting Cells Sampling Across Endothelial and Mucosal Barriers. Frontiers in Immunology. June 10, 2016. doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2016.00231

  7. Delvecchio, F.R., Vadrucci, E., Cavalcanti, E., De Santis, S., Dale, K., Vacca, M., Myers, J., Allen, F., Bianco, G., Huang, A.Y., Monsurro, V., Santino, A., Chieppa, M. Polyphenol administration impairs T-cell proliferation by imprinting a distinct dendritic cell maturation profile. E. J. Immunol. 45(9): 2638-2649, 2015. July 15, 2015. DOI: 10.1002/eji.201545679

  8. Scrimieri F, Askew D, Corn DJ, Eid S, Bobanga ID, Bjelac JA, Tsao ML, Allen F, Othman YS, Wang SC, Huang AY.Murine leukemia virus envelope gp70 is a shared biomarker for the high-sensitivity quantification of murine tumor burden. Oncoimmunology. 2013 Nov 1;2(11):e26889. November 22, 2013. doi.org/10.4161/onci.26889

  9. Xu K, Radhakrishnan K, Serhal A, Allen F, Lamanna JC, Puchowicz MA. Regional brain blood flow in mouse: quantitative measurement using a single-pass radio-tracer method and a mathematical algorithm. Adv Exp Med Biol. 2011; 701:255-60. doi: 10.1007/978-1-4419-7756-4_34.

  10. Gu L, Zhang G-F, Kombu RS, Allen F, Kutz G, Brewer WU, Roe CR, Brunengraber H. Parenteral and Enteral Metabolism of Anaplerotic Triheptanoin in Normal Rats. II. Effects on lipolysis, glucose production, and liver acyl-CoA profile.Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab 298: E362-E371, 2010. Doi: 10.1152/ajpendo.00384.2009.

 

Invited Speaker

  1. CCL3 augment antitumor immune priming in the tumor draining lymph node. American Association of Immunologist. Washington, DC, 2017

  2. Inflammatory Chemokine CCL3 in the Tumor Microenvironment Augments the Antitumor Immune Response. Immunological Training Program Retreat. Chagrin Falls, Ohio, October 23, 2015

  3. Inflammatory Chemokine CCL3 Leads to Enhanced Antitumor Development in the Draining Lymph Node. Immunological Training Program Retreat. Cleveland, Ohio, September 12, 2014

  4. Inflammatory Chemokine CCL3 in the Tumor Microenvironment Leads to Early and Enhanced Immune Antitumor Development in the Draining Lymph Node. Cancer Center Research in Progress Seminar, Cleveland, Ohio, 2014

  5. Professional Enrichment for Trainees Series (PETS). NIH F-Series panel discussion with predoctoral students advising them on ways to write a successful F-31 fellowship award. CWRU-school of medicine, Cleveland, Ohio, November 21, 2014

  6. Inflammatory Chemokine CCL3-Secreting Tumor Suppresses B Cells and Enhances CD8+ T-cell Accumulation in Tumor-draining Lymph Nodes. Immunological Training Program Retreat, Chagrin Falls, Ohio, September 27, 2013

 

Abstracts

  1. Allen, F., Rauhe, P., Nthale, J., Myers, J., Tong, A. Huang, A.Y. CCL3 augments antitumor immune priming in the tumor draining lymph node. 2017 AAI Annual Meeting, Washington D.C. May 13, 2017

  2. Tong, A., Forestell, B., Murphy, D.V., Nair, A., Allen, F., Mandl, J., Huang, A.Y. Regulatory T cells exhibit distinct lymph node homing and trafficking kinetics as compared to conventional CD4+ T cells. 2017 AAI Annual Meeting, Washington D.C. May 15, 2017

  3. Troyer, Z., Allen, F., Huang, A.Y., Tilton, J. Engineering a novel lentiviral vector for antigen delivery and targeted immune outcomes. 40th Annual Biomedical Graduate Student Sympoium, Cleveland, Ohio. May 15, 2017

  4. Tong, A., Forestell, B., Murphy, D.V., Nair, A., Allen F., Mandl J., Huang A.Y. Regulatory T cells exhibit distinct lymph node homing and trafficking kinetics as compared to conventional CD4+ T cells. ShowCASE 2017, Cleveland, Ohio. April 21, 2017

  5. Allen, F., Eid, S., Nthale, J., Myers J., Huang, A.Y. CCL3 in the tumor microenvironment augments antitumor immune priming in the lymph node. CRI-CIMT-EATI-AACR Cancer Immunotherapy Conference, New York, New York. September 25-28, 2016

  6. Tong, A., Allen, F., Nair, A., Murphy, S., Huang, A.Y. Quantification of lymph node transit times reveals differences in the trafficking behavior of regulatory versus conventional CD4+ T cells. CRI-CIMT-EATI-AACR Cancer Immunotherapy Conference, New York, New York. September 25-18, 2016

  7. Frederick Allen, Iuliana D. Bobanga, Deborah Barkauskas, Jay Myers, Alex Y. Huang. CCL3 in the Tumor Microenvironment Augments the Antitumor Immune Response. American Association of Immunologist, Seattle, Washington. May 13-17, 2016

  8. Vatsayan, A., Askew, D., Eid, S., Tong, A., Allen, F., Cooke, K.R., Letterio, J.J., Huang, A.Y. Role of cyclin dependent kinase 5 in T cells and acute graft versus host disease. ASPHO / PBMTC 2016, Orlando, Florida. May 12, 2016

  9. Morrow, J.J., Miller, T.E., Saiakhova, A., Lizardo, M.M., Bartels, C.F., Bayles, I., Hung, S., Mendoza, A., Myers, J.T., Allen, F., Difeo, A., Rubin, B.P., Huang, A.Y., Meltzer, P.S., Helman, L.J., Khanna, C., Scacheri, P.C. Positively selected enhancer elements endow tumor cells with metastatic competence. AACR 2016, New Orleans, Louisiana April 16-20, 2016

  10. Allen, F., Huang, A.Y. Inflammatory chemokine CCL3 in the tumor microenvironment augments the antitumor immune response. 2015 Immunology Training Program Retreat, CWRU, Cleveland, Ohio. October 23, 2015

  11. Tong, A.A., Allen, F., Huang, A.Y. Homeostatic regulatory T cell trafficking in peripheral lymph nodes. 2015 Immunology Training Program Retreat, CWRU, Cleveland, OH. October 23, 2015

  12. Tong, A., Allen, F., Huang, A.Y. Homeostatic regulatory T cell trafficking in peripheral lymph nodes. Case Comprehensive Cancer Center Annual Retreat, Warrensville Heights, Ohio. July 10, 2015

  13. Frederick Allen, Iuliana D. Bobanga, Deborah Barkauskas, Jay Myers, Alex Y. Huang. Inflammatory Chemokine CCL3 Leads to Enhanced Antitumor Development in the Draining Lymph Node, American Association of Immunologist, New Orleans, Louisiana. May 10-12, 2015

  14. Tong, A., Allen, F., Huang, A.Y. Homeostatic regulatory T cell trafficking in peripheral lymph nodes, American Association of Immunologists (AAI) Annual Meeting, New Orleans, Louisiana. May 8-12, 2015 (oral presentation; AAI Trainee award)

  15. Tong, A., Allen, F., Huang, A.Y. Homeostatic regulatory T cell trafficking in peripheral lymph nodes. MSTP Winter Retreat, Cleveland, OH. March 3, 2015 (Poster award)

  16. Tong, A., Allen, F., Huang, A.Y. Homeostatic regulatory T cell trafficking in peripheral lymph nodes. APSA Midwest Regional Meeting, Cleveland, Ohio. November 15, 2014 (Poster award)

  17. Tong, A., Allen, F., Huang, A.Y. Homeostatic regulatory T cell trafficking in peripheral lymph nodes. Immunology Training Program Retreat. Cleveland, Ohio. September 26, 2014 (Poster award).

  18. Bobanga, I.D., Scrimieri, F., Allen, F., Huang, A.Y. VCAM-1 expression in a murine osteosarcoma model enhances metastasis to draining lymph node and lung, 45th American Pediatric Surgical Association (APSA) Annual Meeting (selected for oral presentation), Phoenix, Arizona. May 29-June 1, 2014

  19. Bobanga, I.D., Allen, F., Huang, A.Y. Chemokine CCL3 induces immune cell infiltration and tumor protection in mice bearing CT26 colon cancer, 2014 Cleveland Surgical Society Resident Essay Podium Presentation, Cleveland, Ohio. May 13 2014

  20. Bobanga, I.D., Allen, F., Teich, N.R., Huang, A.Y. Chemokines CCL3 and CCL4 differentially recruit lymphocytes in a murine model of early metastatic colon cancer, Academic Surgical Congress. February 4-6, 2014

  21. Allen, F., Bobanga, I.D., Barkauskas, D., Myers, J., Tsao, M., Huang, A.Y. Inflammatory Chemokine CCL3 Suppresses Preferential Tumor-associated Accumulation of B Cells and CD4 T Cells in Tumor-draining Lymph Nodes, Annual Meeting of the American Association of Immunologists, Honolulu, Hawaii. May 3-7, 2013 (FASAB/AAI Travel Award)

  22. Frederick Allen, Michelle Puchowicz, Colleen Croniger, and Henri Brunengraber. Surgical Approach to Measuring Glucose Turnover in Kidney Occluded Mouse Model, Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minority Stu

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