Our goal is to understand how CAR T cells interact with their immune environment, and to manipulate these interactions to improve outcomes of treatment. Human T cells are not designed to work in isolation, and how the endogenous immune system interacts with CAR T cells and modulates their function is not well established. Better understanding of these interactions can provide insights to rationally manipulate the immune environment to achieve far more than what is possible by relying on T cells alone. 

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We engineer human hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) and T cells to use these individually or in combination as therapeutic modalities. We employ a variety of ex-vivo gene therapy techniques including lentiviral and retroviral transduction, mRNA electroporation, and CRISPR/Cas9-based gene editing. We use humanized mice (NSG, NSGS) and immunocompetent mice (C57BL/6, Balb/c) for preclinical studies to test interventions that can improve the outcomes of immunotherapy for cancer.

For trainees, prior research lab experience is beneficial but not required – most people come in with minimal experience and will be trained in all necessary techniques to perform experiments. Qualities that are important for success in the lab include self-motivation, intellectual curiosity, critical thinking skills, and resourcefulness.