About

David Michael Ashley is the Rory David Deutsch Distinguished Professor of Neuro-Oncology at Duke University. He holds multiple academic positions including Adjunct Professor in the Department of Neurosurgery, Professor of Medicine, Professor in Pathology, and Professor in Pediatrics. He is also a member of the Duke Cancer Institute. His roles indicate a focus on neuro-oncology, with an emphasis on research and education in this field. His work is associated with the Duke Department of Pediatrics and the broader Duke University Health System, contributing to advancements in neuro-oncology and related disciplines.

Research topics

• Cancer research
• Medicine
• Oncology
• Biology
• Internal medicine
• Genetics
• Immunology
• Pathology
• Cell biology
• Virology
• Psychiatry
• Clinical psychology
• Evolutionary biology

Selected publications

• Supplementary Table S2 from Lymphotropic Virotherapy Induces DC and High Endothelial Venule Inflammation, Promoting the Antitumor Efficacy of Intratumor Virus Administration

  2026-02-03

  articleOpen access

  <p>Supplementary Table S2. FISH probe sets (extended data relating to Figures 2C, 4).</p>

  PublisherDOI

• Supplementary Figure S3 from Lymphotropic Virotherapy Induces DC and High Endothelial Venule Inflammation, Promoting the Antitumor Efficacy of Intratumor Virus Administration

  2026-02-03

  articleOpen access

  <p>Supplementary Figure S3. Dual-site (IT+CPLI) PVSRIPO in CT2A-bearing mice changes immune cell composition in cLN (extended data relating to Figure 3).</p>

  PublisherDOI

• Data from Lymphotropic Virotherapy Induces DC and High Endothelial Venule Inflammation, Promoting the Antitumor Efficacy of Intratumor Virus Administration

  2026-02-03 · 1 citations

  articleOpen access

  <div>Abstract<p>Tumor-draining lymph nodes are a pivotal site for antitumor T-cell priming. However, their mechanistic roles in cancer immune surveillance and immunotherapy response remain poorly defined. Intratumor (IT) virotherapy generates antitumor T-cell immunity through multifaceted engagement of innate antiviral inflammation. In this study, we identify type-I interferon (IFNI) signaling in glioma-draining cervical lymph nodes as a mediator of IT polio virotherapy. Transient IFNI signaling after IT administration was rescued by cervical perilymphatic infusion (CPLI) virotherapy, targeting cervical lymph nodes directly. Dual-site (IT plus CPLI) virotherapy induced profound inflammatory reprogramming of cervical lymph nodes, enhanced viral RNA replication and IFNI signaling in dendritic cells and high endothelial venules, augmented antiglioma efficacy in mice, and was associated with T-cell activation in patients with recurrent glioblastoma. A phase II clinical trial of IT plus CPLI polio virotherapy is ongoing (NCT06177964). This study implicates the lymphatic system as a virotherapy target and demonstrates that CPLI virotherapy has the potential to complement brain tumor immunotherapy.</p><p><a href="https://aacrjournals.org/cancerimmunolres/article-abstract/doi/10.1158/2326-6066.CIR-25-1596" target="_blank"><i>See related Spotlight by Kaufman, p. 182</i></a></p></div>

  PublisherDOI

• Supplementary Figure S6 from Lymphotropic Virotherapy Induces DC and High Endothelial Venule Inflammation, Promoting the Antitumor Efficacy of Intratumor Virus Administration

  2026-02-03

  articleOpen access

  <p>Supplementary Figure S6. a-c, Extended data relating to Figure 5. Umap of snRNAseq of combined samples from three intervals (see Figure 5D); individual cell types are labeled (a). Umap of cells identified as T cells in a; individual subsets are labeled (see Supplementary Table S2 for extended data) (b). Proportion of cell types identified in a by time point (c). d, e, Gating strategy used (extended data relating to Figure 5E, F).</p>

  PublisherDOI

• Supplementary Figure S5 from Lymphotropic Virotherapy Induces DC and High Endothelial Venule Inflammation, Promoting the Antitumor Efficacy of Intratumor Virus Administration

  2026-02-03

  articleOpen access

  <p>Supplementary Figure S5. PVSRIPO is shed in phosphatidyl-serine enriched vesicles from A375 melanoma cells (extended data relating to Figure 4G).</p>

  PublisherDOI

• Supplementary Figure S1 from Lymphotropic Virotherapy Induces DC and High Endothelial Venule Inflammation, Promoting the Antitumor Efficacy of Intratumor Virus Administration

  2026-02-03

  articleOpen access

  <p>Supplementary Figure S1. Extended data on cLN phenotypes after IT PVSRIPO infusion in CT2A mouse glioma.</p>

  PublisherDOI

• Supplementary Table 1 from Lymphotropic Virotherapy Induces DC and High Endothelial Venule Inflammation, Promoting the Antitumor Efficacy of Intratumor Virus Administration

  2026-02-03

  articleOpen access

  <p>Antibodies used in flow-cytometry analyses</p>

  PublisherDOI

• Supplementary Figure S4 from Lymphotropic Virotherapy Induces DC and High Endothelial Venule Inflammation, Promoting the Antitumor Efficacy of Intratumor Virus Administration

  2026-02-03

  articleOpen access

  <p>Supplementary Figure S4. a,b, Extended data relating to Figure 4C-G. MECA-79+ HEV, which harbor (-)strand vRNA in CT2A glioma-bearing mice after dual site (IT+CPLI) PVSRIPO, stain positive for the poliovirus receptor CD155.</p>

  PublisherDOI

• Supplementary Table S3 from Lymphotropic Virotherapy Induces DC and High Endothelial Venule Inflammation, Promoting the Antitumor Efficacy of Intratumor Virus Administration

  2026-02-03

  articleOpen access

  <p>Supplementary Table S3. Top-20 differentially expressed genes in tumor-infiltrating T cell subsets (extended data relating to Figure 5D).</p>

  PublisherDOI

• Supplementary Figure S2 from Lymphotropic Virotherapy Induces DC and High Endothelial Venule Inflammation, Promoting the Antitumor Efficacy of Intratumor Virus Administration

  2026-02-03

  articleOpen access

  <p>Supplementary Figure S2. Differences in gene expression and hallmark pathways between single-site (IT or CPLI) and dual-site (IT plus CPLI) treatment cohorts compared to mock treatment as shown.</p>

  PublisherDOI

Recent grants

• Administrative Core

  NIH · $19.3M · 2018–2024

• Biostatistics Core

  NIH · $49.4M · 1997–2029

• Administrative Core

  NIH · $5.1M · 2018–2023

• A novel cellular tumor vaccine strategy for mutant IDH1 glioma

  NIH · $33.0M · 2014–2025

Frequent coauthors

• Henry S. Friedman

  Duke Medical Center

  408 shared

• Darell D. Bigner

  Duke University

  346 shared

• Annick Desjardins

  Duke Medical Center

  302 shared

• Allan H. Friedman

  Duke Medical Center

  296 shared

• Mustafa Khasraw

  288 shared

• Michael C. Frühwald

  University Hospital Augsburg

  264 shared

• Diane K. Birks

  246 shared

• Roger E. McLendon

  Duke University

  234 shared

Labs

• Duke Department of PediatricsPI

Education

• M.D.

  University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

  1994

• B.S.

  University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

  1990