- BA/MD University of Missouri-Kansas City, 2023
Education & Training
We are investigating reduction of heart transplant rejection in a monkey model using a regulatory T-cell (regTcell) therapy targeted against the donor organ. In other organs (eg kidney), infusing regulatory T cells has been shown to reduce rejection. Similar work in hearts failed to show a benefit. Loss of regulatory signature (the regTcells became other types of T-cells) and regTcells death may have contributed to this lack of benefit. We are planning to investigate if CAR-Tregs (TRegs derived from the recipient and engineering to target an antigen specific to the donor organ, namely a MHC molecules on the donor organ, Bw6) can provide a reduction in rejection; these are expected to keep their regulatory signature and avoid apoptosis. We will compare these CAR-Tregs to non-specific TRegs which react nonspecifically to the donor organ (donor-antigen alloreactive Tregs, or darTregs).
Question: Can recipient derived CAR-Tregs engineered against donor MHC epitope prevent allograft rejection/improve survival in a nonhuman primate model?
My goal is to become a surgeon scientist with a focus on transplantation and organ modification. Transplant uniquely seems to me a situation where you are helping patients with no other options, and where the quality of your work and attention to detail is immensely important. Further, it is a field with much room for improvement and one where innovative ideas have a real chance of helping patients. With my goal of working as a surgeon and running a translational laboratory, I have decided to take 3 years for research to develop my laboratory and research skills and devote significant time to learning about cardiovascular biomechanics and transplantation immunology in a formal academic setting. I am happiest when I am getting to help people directly by operating and see the impact I'm having clinically by talking with recovered patients, but at the same time my underlying drive is for progress and innovation. Towards this, I feel no other career would satisfy my motivations other than helping patients directly with surgery and simultaneously getting to investigate improving the field through translation research.