Dr. Whiteside’s research interests are in Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy with special focus on mechanisms of tumor-induced immunosuppression, cytokine networks, development of anticancer vaccines, immunology of human head and neck cancer and the role of natural immunity in the control of cancer progression. Her research is in mechanisms of tumor escape from the host immune system and the development of therapies designed to eliminate tumor escape. Currently she is investigating the role of regulatory T cells in cancer progression as well as contributions of tumor-derived microvesicles (MV) to apoptosis of CD8+ effector cells in the peripheral circulation of patients with cancer and in the tumor microenvironment. Dr. Whiteside is also interested in dendritic cells (DC) as vehicles for delivering tumor antigens to T cells. She is investigating components of antigen processing machinery (APM) in human DC with an objective of defining and optimizing conditions for optimal antigen processing and cross-presentation. She is a recognized expert in immune monitoring of patients with cancer. Since 2002, she has served on numerous NIH and DOD study sections, and is a past member of the Board of Scientific Counselors for NIDCR. She is a member of numerous journal editorial boards and a scientific reviewer for many other scientific journals. She has authored 503 peer-reviewed publications in scientific journals and 115 chapters and review articles. She is the author of a book on human tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes and co-editor of several scientific books. Over the years, she has trained over 80 post-doctoral fellows from the United States and abroad.