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Patrick Hwu: How can we make cancer-fighting T cells stronger and longer-lasting?

Patrick Hwu/X

Jun 9, 2025, 08:59

Patrick Hwu: How can we make cancer-fighting T cells stronger and longer-lasting?

Patrick Hwu, President and CEO of the Moffitt Cancer Center, shared a post on LinkedIn:

“How can we make cancer-fighting T cells stronger and longer-lasting?

In this study, Zheng et. al engineered a viral protein to “rewire” how T cells receive survival signals—activating STAT5, a key pathway that helps T cells persist and stay functional, without needing cytokines like IL-2.

These modified T cells resisted exhaustion and controlled tumors better in models of melanoma and lymphoma, showing a new way to enhance immunotherapy for solid tumors. This strategy offers a powerful tool to boost T cell therapies against cancer.”

Title: An engineered viral protein activates STAT5 to prevent T cell suppression

Authors: Yating Zheng, Zehui Gu, Claire Shudde, Taylor Piper, Xinyu Wang, Grace Aleck, Jiajia Zhou, Dana King, Monica Chanda, Lilliana Trinch, Weiping Zou, Adam Courtney

Read the Full Article in Science Magazine.

Patrick Hwu

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