After receiving a PhD in tumor immunology in 1999 from Banaras Hindu University, India, Dr. Anil Shanker performed his postdoctoral studies at the CNRS/INSERM Centre d’Immunologie de Marseille-Luminy, France, and the National Cancer Institute, Maryland. He currently leads the Laboratory of Lymphocyte Function in the Department of Biochemistry and Cancer Biology of Meharry Medical College. He is also a member of Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center of Vanderbilt University. 

The Shanker laboratory has a history of providing vibrant environment to his trainees, postdoctoral fellows and junior faculty from diverse backgrounds. Dr. Shanker is committed to advancing equity in health and education that empowers the underprivileged. He has conceived of and implemented transdisciplinary research directions by integrating tumor biology, immunology, bioengineering, computational biology, neuroscience and immunotherapy. The Shanker Laboratory explores lymphocyte crosstalk with an aim to understand molecular and cellular players driving immune effector responses. Their ultimate goal is to develop a comprehensive understanding of the circuitry underlying lymphocyte crosstalk with an aim to control immunopathological diseases.