Natural killer cells & Cancer

Natural killer (NK) cells recognize and kill abnormal cells to prevent infections and cancers. Our laboratory develops pharmacological means of promoting innate immunity, primarily the one mediated by NK cells, against various cancers such as solid tumors and hematological malignancies. Our approach consists of monoclonal antibodies that inhibit proteolytic cleavage of key extracellular proteins – NK cell activating receptors and ligands. Our antibodies function in a substrate-specific manner, and they reveal new mechanistic insights and represent new opportunities of cancer immunotherapies.