Research
Our lab is focused on understanding and overcoming the major limitations of current cancer immunotherapies. Although immune checkpoint inhibitors and related strategies have revolutionized the treatment of certain cancers, most patients fail to achieve durable responses, and immune-related toxicities and off-target immune activation often constrain combination approaches.
We study the mechanisms that govern therapeutic efficacy, selectivity and safety in T cell-targeted immunotherapy. Our research centers around three major themes:
1. Dissecting regulatory T cell (TREG) subsets in tumors and healthy tissues
TREG cells are potent suppressors of immune responses and represent a significant obstacle to effective immunotherapy. Importantly, these cells are often enriched in tumors and express many of the same receptors targeted by immunotherapy. We aim to understand how distinct TREG subsets arise and function across tumor versus non-malignant tissues, using a combination of preclinical mouse models, flow cytometry and single-cell sequencing.
2. Designing and testing mechanism-guided immunotherapies
Rather than relying on broad immune activation, we focus on selectively targeting tumor-reactive effector T cells while avoiding activation of immunosuppressive or peripheral immune populations. This involves studying co-stimulatory receptor biology, tumor-specific T cell states and the spatial organization of immune cells within the tumor microenvironment. Our goal is to develop next-generation immunotherapies with improved specificity, efficacy and safety profiles.
3. Defining immune microenvironments that support or hinder immunotherapy
Emerging evidence suggests that immune architecture, such as the presence of structured aggregates of immune cells in tumors, can critically shape therapeutic responses. We are developing new tools and experimental systems to study how these microenvironments affect T cell activation, antibody function and treatment outcomes. These insights inform rational approaches to combination therapy and patient stratification.
By integrating spatial immunobiology, T cell differentiation and rational antibody design, our lab aims to create precision-guided immunotherapies that overcome current limitations in cancer treatment. Our work bridges fundamental immunology with translational impact, contributing to the development of a new generation of safe and effective immunotherapeutic strategies.