The immune system holds immense potential for combating a wide range of diseases, including cancer and autoimmune disorders. Indeed, immunotherapy has transformed the treatment landscape for many diseases, particularly advanced cancers. Despite this progress, patient responses remain heterogeneous, with only a subset of cancers demonstrating sensitivity to immunotherapy. Our vision is to develop innovative immunotherapeutics for cancer and autoimmune diseases using cutting-edge protein engineering techniques. Additionally, we aim to leverage protein engineering to design novel imaging probes that can elucidate the dynamics of immune responses. These probes have the potential to enable early detection of cancer and provide insights into therapeutic efficacy, paving the way for more precise and effective treatments.
Enhancing the activity and persistence of CAR T cells is a key area of investigation in our lab. CAR T cells have revolutionized the treatment of various blood-borne malignancies. However, the duration of response often falls short, leading to patient relapse. To address this challenge, we are developing novel immunotherapeutics to drive CAR T cells toward adopting a memory phenotype. This approach holds great potential in prolonging the response duration and overcoming relapse.