Alex Wang (GRIFFITH LAB)

Engineering Physiologically Relevant In Vitro Liver Models

The liver is responsible for a variety of metabolic, homeostatic, and immunologic activities in the body. As such, in vitro liver models are finding increasing use in applications of modeling disease and complex drug metabolism. To create more sophisticated and physiologically relevant liver models, fundamental design principles still need to be revealed. In this work, I consider the morphological steps of in vitro liver tissue formation, as well as strategies going forward to provide the necessary external cues for improved functionality.

Joy Xie (WITTRUP & PLOEGH LABS)

Engineering Nanobody CAR T-cells for Increased Targeting Specificity and Treatment of Solid Tumors

Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells are a promising cancer therapeutic, as they can specifically redirect the cytotoxic function of a T cell to a chosen target of interest. CAR T cells have been successful in clinical trials against hematological cancers, but have experienced difficulties treating solid tumors for a number of reasons, including a lack of tumor specific antigens. To enhance tumor targeting specificity and treat solid tumors, we aim to develop CARs utilizing single domain antibody fragments (VHHs) as the recognition domain.