Innovative Research Award
Alexei Tumanov
The University of Texas at San Antonio, United States
Alexei Tumanov is an immunology researcher affiliated with the University of Texas at San Antonio and the Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics at UT Health San Antonio. Institutional and bibliographic sources describe his research in relation to cytokine signaling, lymphotoxin biology, immune regulation, lymphoid-organ biology, inflammation, cancer immunotherapy and neuroimmune mechanisms.[1][2]
Abstract
Alexei Tumanov’s research profile is centered on molecular and cellular immunology, with particular emphasis on lymphotoxin signaling and its relationship to immune-system organization, inflammatory responses and disease mechanisms. His institutional research record includes investigations of lymphotoxin-beta receptor signaling, innate and adaptive immune responses, cancer immunotherapy and neuroimmune interactions.[1] Recent publications have examined lymphotoxin-beta receptor regulation of chronic pain, ferroptosis-associated regulation of innate lymphoid cell responses, and strategies intended to separate antitumor activity from immune-mediated toxicity in CD137-directed cancer immunotherapy.[2][3]
Keywords
- Immunology
- Molecular Immunology
- Lymphotoxin Signaling
- Lymphotoxin-beta Receptor
- Cytokine Biology
- Innate Immunity
- Cancer Immunotherapy
- Neuroimmune Regulation
- Inflammation
Introduction
Molecular immunology examines how signaling pathways, immune-cell interactions and tissue environments regulate protective immunity and inflammatory disease. Within this field, lymphotoxin signaling represents an important area for studying the organization and maintenance of lymphoid tissues and the communication between immune and non-immune cells. Tumanov’s research has addressed these mechanisms through experimental studies of lymphotoxin pathways and their roles in immune-system development and disease-related processes.[1]
His earlier work included conditional targeting studies of lymphotoxin pathways in lymphoid organs. Such research contributed to the characterization of cell-specific functions of lymphotoxin and lymphotoxin-beta receptor signaling in peripheral lymphoid-organ development and maintenance.[4] More recent work has extended this research framework to inflammatory bowel disease, cancer immunotherapy and neuroimmune signaling.[2][3]
Research Profile
Institutional information identifies Tumanov as a researcher in the Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics at UT Health San Antonio. His documented research interests include immune regulation, cytokine signaling and lymphotoxin biology. His research profile also encompasses interactions between immune pathways and pathological processes, including inflammation, cancer and chronic pain.[1][2]
The research program has included both fundamental and disease-oriented investigations. Earlier studies examined lymphotoxin-dependent organization of lymphoid organs, while later studies have investigated how related signaling mechanisms can influence therapeutic toxicity, inflammatory responses and sensory-neural processes.[4][5]
Research Contributions
A central contribution of Tumanov’s research is the investigation of lymphotoxin-beta receptor signaling as a regulator of immune and tissue processes. Experimental work has examined how this receptor pathway contributes to lymphoid-organ development and maintenance and how alterations in the pathway can affect inflammatory and pathological responses.[4]
In cancer immunotherapy, Tumanov has investigated mechanisms associated with the toxicity of CD137-directed treatment. A Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas grant lists him as principal investigator for a project examining the role of lymphotoxin-beta receptor signaling in overcoming liver toxicity associated with anti-CD137 cancer immunotherapy.[5]
His recent collaborative research has also examined neuroimmune mechanisms. A 2026 Cell Reports publication reported that lymphotoxin-beta receptor signaling is involved in the development of chronic pain, providing experimental evidence connecting an immune signaling pathway with sensory processes.[3]
Additional work published in Cellular & Molecular Immunology examined ferroptosis in relation to ILC2 responses in inflammatory bowel disease. The article identifies lymphotoxin-related immunological research within a broader investigation of inflammatory mechanisms affecting innate lymphoid cells.[2]
Publications
Tumanov’s publication record spans molecular immunology, cytokine signaling, lymphoid-organ biology, inflammatory disease, cancer immunotherapy and neuroimmune regulation. His institutional profile lists publications including recent studies in Science Advances, Cell Reports and Cellular & Molecular Immunology.[1]
- Tumanov, A. V., et al. (2026). Lymphotoxin-beta receptor controls the development of chronic pain. Cell Reports, 45(4), 117269. DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2026.117269.[3]
- Korchagina, A. A., & Tumanov, A. V. (2026). Ferroptosis shapes ILC2 responses in inflammatory bowel disease. Cellular & Molecular Immunology, 23, 583–585. DOI: 10.1038/s41423-026-01404-z.[2]
- Shein, S. A., Korchagina, A. A., Wang, L.-J., et al., including Tumanov, A. V. (2026). Selective elimination of circulating effector CD8 T cells via LTβR blockade separates anti-CD137 efficacy from toxicity. Science Advances, 12(17), eaea8737.[1]
- Tumanov, A. V., et al. (2003). Dissecting the role of lymphotoxin in lymphoid organs by conditional targeting. Immunological Reviews. DOI: 10.1034/j.1600-065X.2003.00071.x.[4]
Research Impact
The documented research program connects fundamental immunological mechanisms with disease-oriented questions. Institutional records describe grant-supported research into the regulation of cancer immunotherapy toxicity and the role of lymphotoxin-beta receptor signaling in sensory neurons, while recent publications extend the research into chronic pain and inflammatory bowel disease.[2][3][5]
The quantitative metrics supplied for this recognition profile list 97 documents, 7,514 citations and an h-index of 41. Such metrics are bibliographic indicators and should be interpreted according to the database, date of retrieval and author-profile methodology used. The supplied Google Scholar, ORCID and Scopus identifiers provide external routes for verification and updating of these records.
The translational relevance of the research is also reflected in grant-supported projects. CPRIT records identify Tumanov as principal investigator of research concerning anti-CD137 cancer immunotherapy and lymphotoxin-beta receptor signaling, illustrating an application-oriented dimension of his immunological research.[5]
Award Suitability
The documented research themes are closely associated with molecular and cellular immunology, including cytokine signaling, lymphotoxin biology, immune-cell regulation and disease mechanisms. His publication record and institutionally documented research projects provide identifiable evidence of sustained activity in these areas.[1][5]
For the purposes of the International Molecular Biologist Awards, the supplied recognition category is the Innovative Research Award. This article records the relationship between the stated award category and the documented research profile without assigning an independent assessment of scientific merit.
Conclusion
Alexei Tumanov’s research profile encompasses molecular immunology, lymphotoxin signaling and the regulation of immune responses in physiological and pathological settings. His documented work includes studies of lymphoid-organ biology, inflammatory disease, cancer immunotherapy and neuroimmune mechanisms. Recent publications demonstrate continuing investigation of lymphotoxin-beta receptor pathways and immune-cell regulation, while grant records document support for translational research involving cancer immunotherapy.[1][2][3][5]
External Links
References
- UT Health San Antonio. (n.d.). Tumanov, Alexei, M.D., Ph.D. — Microbiology, Immunology & Molecular Genetics. Institutional researcher profile.
https://lsom.uthscsa.edu/mimg/team-member/alexei-v-tumanov-m-d-ph-d/
- Korchagina, A. A., & Tumanov, A. V. (2026). Ferroptosis shapes ILC2 responses in inflammatory bowel disease. Cellular & Molecular Immunology, 23, 583–585. DOI: 10.1038/s41423-026-01404-z.
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41423-026-01404-z
- Tumanov, A. V., Mecklenburg, J. M., Belugin, S., et al. (2026). Lymphotoxin-beta receptor controls the development of chronic pain. Cell Reports, 45(4), 117269. DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2026.117269.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.celrep.2026.117269
- Tumanov, A. V., et al. (2003). Dissecting the role of lymphotoxin in lymphoid organs by conditional targeting. Immunological Reviews. DOI: 10.1034/j.1600-065X.2003.00071.x.
https://doi.org/10.1034/j.1600-065X.2003.00071.x
- Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas. (2022). Grant RP220470: Overcoming liver toxicity of anti-CD137 cancer immunotherapy. Principal Investigator: Alexei Tumanov. University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio.
https://www.cprit.texas.gov/grants-funded/grants/rp220470