Matthew Russolillo

My research tackles the issue of antigen heterogeneity, which remains a pervasive issue in solid tumor immunotherapy. Antigen expression on tumor cell surfaces is highly variable; Solid tumors differentially express a wide range of antigens, yet antigen expression levels across a tumor are highly inconsistent. This escape mechanism disrupts the recognition of tumor cells by our body’s immune cells. My approach seeks to remedy this issue by using synthetic molecules that deposit on the surface of tumor cells upon activation with tumor-targeted enzymes. These molecules carry synthetic antigens that promote recognition and lysis by CAR-NK cells that my lab has developed.