Natural killer cells are mostly innate immune effectors that are involved in early host responses against pathogens.
The sophisticated interplay between activating and inhibitory receptors which guides their immune responses can be exploited to redirect their function toward improved anti-tumor immunity.
However, tumor microenvironments, particularly those of solid tumors, cause severe immunosuppression of natural killer cell anti-tumor functions, diminishing otherwise powerful responses.
In our lab, we are focused on understanding the immunobiology of natural killer cells and causes of their dysfunction and exhaustion in solid tumors, and on rescuing impaired natural killer cell functions in the context of difficult-to-treat solid tumors such as glioblastoma, by combining immunobiology and immunoengineering to rethink and redesign natural killer cells with superior anti-tumor immunity.
The sophisticated interplay between activating and inhibitory receptors which guides their immune responses can be exploited to redirect their function toward improved anti-tumor immunity.
However, tumor microenvironments, particularly those of solid tumors, cause severe immunosuppression of natural killer cell anti-tumor functions, diminishing otherwise powerful responses.
In our lab, we are focused on understanding the immunobiology of natural killer cells and causes of their dysfunction and exhaustion in solid tumors, and on rescuing impaired natural killer cell functions in the context of difficult-to-treat solid tumors such as glioblastoma, by combining immunobiology and immunoengineering to rethink and redesign natural killer cells with superior anti-tumor immunity.