Q&A with Abe Wu: Problem-Solving to Fix Lab Equipment and Advance Cancer Therapy
July 6, 2026Abe Wu, a PhD student at the University of Washington, is developing biomaterials to improve cancer cell therapies, which use engineered immune cells to target and kill tumors.
Every lab has one — that person the rest of the team turns to when equipment malfunctions. Abe Wu is that unofficial “IT guy” for his lab. From fixing the flow cytometer to troubleshooting finicky lab instruments, he genuinely enjoys this role helping his labmates.
“I get to see how different instruments are built, how different systems work, how to diagnose problems and how to fix problems, and then also help other people succeed in their research when they use these instruments,” Wu said.
As a fourth-year PhD student at the University of Washington, Wu received a 2026 PhRMA Foundation Predoctoral Fellowship in Drug Delivery for his research focused on developing biomaterials to improve cancer cell therapies, which use engineered immune cells to target and kill tumors.
Because many tumor targets are also found on healthy tissues, these engineered cells can sometimes attack healthy tissues and cause harmful side effects. Wu aims to design materials that will activate these engineered immune cells only when they reach a tumor to reduce the side effects, making these therapies safer and more effective for patients.
Watch this video to learn more about Wu and his research.
