Lisa Bhatt

Lisa Bhatt has investigated circulating tumor DNA as a dynamic biomarker for monitoring immunotherapy response and distinguishing true progression from pseudoprogression in patients receiving checkpoint immunotherapy. Her research characterized ctDNA dynamics during anti-PD-1 therapy, demonstrating that early ctDNA reduction correlates with subsequent radiographic response and improved outcomes, while ctDNA increase on therapy predicts lack of benefit. She has examined ctDNA monitoring as a tool to identify pseudoprogression in melanoma and NSCLC patients treated with checkpoint inhibitors, where tumor enlargement on imaging accompanied by declining ctDNA supports continued IO treatment versus ctDNA increase supporting true progression. Her translational work has examined baseline ctDNA levels as predictors of IO response magnitude and duration across tumor types treated with pembrolizumab and nivolumab.