Our laboratory focuses on the role of macrophage populations in solid tumors, to identify vulnerabilities in cancer cell/ stroma heterotypic communication that can be targeted therapeutically. We study the microenvironment-mediated mechanisms of tumor maintenance, therapeutic resistance and recurrence in brain and liver malignancies. In particular, we investigate the acquired resistance mechanisms resulting from dynamic alterations in the activation and recruitment of macrophages and their mediators in response to standard of care treatment. We utilize cancer mouse models of glioma and hepatocellular carcinoma combined with lineage tracing system to unravel the functions of resident and infiltrating macrophages in sheltering tumor cells during cytotoxic therapy response.