Abe Wu
Spatial Control of Engineered T Cell Activity Using Tumor-Homing Polymers
Abstract
Engineered T cell therapies such as chimeric antigen receptor T cell therapy have revolutionized clinical treatment of hematological malignancies. An obstacle to extend engineered T cell therapy to treat solid tumors is insufficient tumor targeting, characterized by the lack of truly tumor-specific antigen and the heterogeneity of antigen expression in solid tumors. In this project, we propose to develop polymer-activated cell therapies for solid tumor treatments with potent therapeutic effect and improved safety profiles. We will develop a tumor-homing, ligand-displaying synthetic polymer that locally activates synNotch-regulated T cells to induce antitumor activity within solid tumors. By using targeted delivery to redirect and restrict engineered T cell activity to solid tumors, this modular system holds significant potential to overcome antigen escape and avoid off-tumor toxicities associated with conventional therapies, with broad applicability across different solid tumor types.
I am honored and deeply grateful to receive the PhRMA Foundation’s Predoctoral Fellowship. This award supports my growth as an early-career scientist and enables our continued work on biomaterials-based drug delivery strategies to improve cancer treatment.
