While it is appreciated that host immunity plays a critical role in regulating tumorigenesis, the mechanisms behind immune response evasion in Kras-driven pancreatic cancer are poorly understood. Our lab’s goal is to uncover mechanisms that drive the establishment of a pro-tumorigenic immune microenvironment and to identify nodes of intervention that can be translated into novel, clinically feasible treatment modalities. Evasion of immune surveillance is an important mechanism of tumor emergence, and likely also contributes to cancer progression. Recent groundbreaking success in the treatment of melanoma patients with immune-based therapy is a clear example of the potency and potential of exploiting our own host defenses to suppress cancer progression. However, not all patients respond to immune checkpoint blockade, and some patients who initially respond subsequently develop resistant disease.  Thus, an improved understanding of the complex interactions between transformed cells and host immunity is necessary to further the exciting promise of cancer immunotherapy.