Project Grant K99CA315558

The National Institutes of Health National Cancer Institute awarded the Sloan-Kettering Institute for Cancer Research $146,299 on August 1, 2026, under the Cancer Research Manpower program (CFDA 93.398) for a K99 postdoctoral career development grant supporting research into cancer cell surface remodeling and engineered immunotherapy.

The funded research investigates how dynamic cell surface changes during cancer progression shape tumor-immune interactions and fibrosis, with particular focus on exploiting senescence- and fibrosis-associated tumor states as immunotherapy targets. The work builds on the postdoctoral fellow's established cell surface proteomics pipeline, which identified the urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (uPAR) as a conserved, senescence-associated antigen enriched in p53-mutant tumors. The fellow has developed uPAR-directed chimeric antigen receptor T cells demonstrating potent anti-tumor activity with minimal toxicity in advanced mouse models. Proposed research aims to define mechanisms by which therapy-induced senescence enhances uPAR CAR T cell efficacy and to discover additional cancer cell-specific surface antigens for cell therapy while understanding immunotherapy resistance mechanisms.

The award supports a structured transition to research independence, incorporating scientific and career mentorship, expansion of knowledge and skills, professional development, and transition planning over a two-year period of performance (August 1, 2026, through July 31, 2028). Work is performed in New York, New York at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, where the fellow is conducting postdoctoral research under Dr. Scott Lowe's mentorship.