Research Areas
- Modulating myeloid derived suppressor cell function to alter response to checkpoint inhibition.
- Accounting for heterogeneity of the suppressive immune microenvironment according to tumor site
- Investigation of novel therapeutics targeting immunosuppressive cells
- Racial disparities of the immune response in breast cancer
Funding
- METAvivor-Early Career Investigator Award
- Tower Research Foundation -Career Development Award
- Concern Foundation- Conquer Cancer Now Award
- Concern Foundation- Minnie Ripperton Legacy Fund
- Wright Foundation Transformative Oncology Award
- USC Translational Immune Oncology Program Award
- USC Tumor Microenvironment Pilot Award
- USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center Core Voucher Program
Recent News

“Dr. Evanthia Roussos Torres and her team, in collaboration with researchers at Johns Hopkins University, investigated treatment with a histone deacetylase inhibitor, which is a medication or compound that works by changing how genes are expressed within our cells, in combination with dual immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy in patients with advanced breast cancer.”

USC Environmental Health & Safety: October 2022 Researcher Spotlight
Published in Cancer Immunology Research, USC Norris member Dr. Evanthia Roussos Torres and her colleagues discovered that entinostat decreases immune suppression and promotes antitumor responses against HER2+ breast tumors.



Early Career Investigator Award by METAvivor Research and Support Inc.



Hopkins Medicine News Article: Inhibitor Drug Entinostat ‘Primes’ the Body to Better Respond to Anti-Cancer Treatment with Immunotherapy
Checkout an interview with Mr. Richard Rudolph and Mr. Derek Alpert discussing the inaugural award of the Minnie Ripperton Legacy Fund supporting promising young physician scientists studying breast cancer.
Dr. Roussos Torres speaks about her work and her inspirations during the Tower Research Foundation gala event
Featured on USC Norris Cancer Center: Meet our Members
Immunotherapy 101 – Tower Magazine: A long term goal of immunotherapy
is to significantly prolong the lives
of patients with breast cancer
without the toxicity of traditional
chemotherapy.
Social Media Reels featuring Evanthia Roussos Torres, MD, PhD
2024-2025
Patient Perspective Series (Posted: January 31, 2025)
· Description: Dr. Roussos Torres was featured in “A Time of Hope: Harnessing the immune response to treat breast cancer” · Link to post: https://www.instagram.com/p/DFgfS4bSR22/
Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign · 1/4-https://www.instagram.com/p/DCVCwXsyqHb/ (Posted: November 13, 2024) · 2/4-https://www.instagram.com/p/DCsCHz8zCWz/ (Posted: November 22, 2024) · 3/4- https://www.instagram.com/p/DDNotc8yDjq/ (Posted: December 5, 2024) · 4/4 – https://www.instagram.com/p/DDxryT6SBfs/ (Posted: December 19, 2024)
NCI Funding Highlight (August 16, 2024)
· Description: Funding received from the NCI to lead a complementary, multi-disciplinary research team to address interdisciplinary research questions at the nexus of cancer health disparities and cancer immunology with the goal to improve the intractable challenge of high mortality in minority populations with breast cancer by engaging this unique community of patients, their treating physicians, and researchers · Link to post: https://www.instagram.com/p/C-vm_psybFZ/
Journal Clinical & Experimental Metastasis (July 19, 2024)
· Description: Dr. Evanthia Roussos Torres, co-leader of the USC Norris Tumor Immunology and Microenvironment Program, and her team developed a new model using a specific breast cancer cell line. · Link to post: https://www.instagram.com/p/C9nG7PdJFCk/
Nature Cancer (February 28, 2024)
· Description: Dr. Evanthia Roussos Torres and her team, in collaboration with researchers at Johns Hopkins University, investigated treatment with a histone deacetylase inhibitor, which is a medication or compound that works by changing how genes are expressed within our cells, in combination with dual immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy in patients with advanced breast cancer. · Link to post: https://www.instagram.com/p/C36HDFdJxzS/