
My research experience includes my work at Yale University Medical School in fundamental T cell immunology, innate immunity and translational studies at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in immunotherapy. I have a strong and consistent publication record at both institutions, in both fields. My knowledge and extensive research experience in T cell immunology has aided my research in the lab of Dr. Scheinberg, MSKCC, where I have been focused on translational studies to develop T cell-based peptide vaccines and antibody therapies for a wide range of human cancers. We have been successful in introducing a number of cancer vaccines into human clinical trials. I have led immunological monitoring studies for two completed phase I clinical trials and a phase II trial. More importantly, I participated in initiation and successful development of the first fully human TCR-like mAb specific for the WT1 peptide/HLA-A0201complex, ESK1 (Science Translational Medicine, 2013, Nature Biotechnology, 2015). If successful in human trials, this would be an important innovation for the field of cancer therapy by targeting truly tumor-specific intracellular antigens, which have not been targetable by traditional antibody therapy. In addition, I have been developing several mAbs specific for other important antigens that could lead to new immunotherapies against cancer and other diseases.