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 Laboratory Overview
Molecular structure of the IL-13 zetakine chimeric antigen receptor
Molecular structure of the IL-13 zetakine chimeric antigen receptor
Advances in surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy over the last decade have increased the cure rates of a variety of malignancies. For patients whose tumors are not eradicated, however, the impediment most frequently encountered is the inability to fully eliminate the minimal residual disease that frequently has acquired resistance to conventional treatment modalities.
clip of Engineering CTL killing glioma tumor cells

Engineered CTL killing glioma tumor cells


(Click to view movie)
A conceptually attractive strategy for targeting minimal residual disease is the manipulation of immunologic effector cells to specifically recognize tumor targets. Animal models and an increasing number of clinical trials have implicated the T lymphocyte as a pivotal immunologic effector cell in antitumor immunity. Technologies are now available for identifying immunogenic T-cell target epitopes expressed by human tumors, isolating antigen-specific T-cell clones and expanding these clones ex vivo to large numbers for reinfusion. Initial clinical trials for malignant glioma employing adoptive transfer of glioma-specific cytolytic T lymphocytes have commenced at City of Hope.

 Lab Members

Michael Jensen, M.D.
Principal Investigator
800-256-HOPE (4673)

Research Group

Christine Brown, Ph.D.
Assistant Research Scientist
cbrown@coh.org
626-256-HOPE (4673), ext. 63977

Julie Ostberg, PhD.
Assistant Research Scientist
jostberg@coh.org
626-256-HOPE (4673), ext. 65249

Xiuli Wang, M.D., Ph.D.
Assistant Research Scientist
xiuwang@coh.org
626-256-HOPE (4673), ext. 63511

Wen Chung Chang, M.S.
Support Scientist
wchang@coh.org
626-256-HOPE (4673), ext. 64155

Brenda Aguilar, B.S.
Senior Research Associate
baguilar@coh.org
626-256-HOPE (4673), ext. 63927

Renate Starr, M.S.
Research Associate II
rstarr@coh.org
626-256-HOPE (4673), ext. 61135

Sean Cho, B.S.
Research Associate I
scho@coh.org
626-256-HOPE (4673), ext. 63048

Hao Hong
Research Fellow
hhong@coh.org
626-256-HOPE (4673), ext. 61134

Leonor Velasco
Research Lab Technician
lvelasco@coh.org
626-256-HOPE (4673), ext. 64181

T-cell Therapeutics
and Research Lab

Christine Wright, M.S.
Support Scientist
cwright@coh.org
626-256-HOPE (4673), ext. 63274

Araceli Hamlett, B.A.
Senior Research Associate
ahamlett@coh.org
626-256-HOPE (4673), ext. 64181

Jamie Wagner, B.A.
Senior Research Associate
jwagner@coh.org
626-256-HOPE (4673), ext. 64181

Cherrilyn Bautista, B.S.
Research Associate I
cbautista@coh.org
626-256-HOPE (4673), ext. 64181

Winnie Wong, B.S.
Research Associate I
wiwong@coh.org
626-256-HOPE (4673), ext. 64181

Regulatory Affairs

Merle Alvarez
Consultant
mealvarez@coh.org
626-256-HOPE (4673), ext. 65684

Administrative Team

Gina Howells
Senior Secretary
ghowells@coh.org
626-256-HOPE (4673), ext. 68993



Graduate Student

Michelle Hunter, B.S.
Graduate Student
mhunter@coh.org
626-256-HOPE (4673), ext. 62153

Megan Prosser, B.S.
Graduate Student
mprosser@coh.org
626-256-HOPE (4673), ext. 62153

Mahesh Jonnalagadda, DVM, MS
Graduate Student
mjonnalagadda@coh.org
626-256-HOPE (4673), ext. 64181

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1500 East Duarte Road
Duarte, California 91010
626-256-HOPE (4673)
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