Sophia Dateshidze Rose Hills
Functional Engineering of NK-92 Cells for Tumor Cytotoxicity Analysis
Natural killer (NK) cells are part of the body’s first line of defense, uniquely equipped to recognize and kill cancerous and virally infected cells without prior sensitization. Because of this, they have emerged as promising tools in the development of cancer immunotherapies. However, their therapeutic potential has been limited by challenges such as poor persistence in patients, resistance from tumor cells, and the difficulty of genetically modifying NK cells to better understand or enhance their function. Improving our ability to study NK cell biology at a genetic level is crucial for developing more effective therapies, especially for cancers that do not respond well to existing treatments. This summer, I am working to optimize the generation of engineered NK cells, making it easier to perform high-throughput genetic perturbations and study the molecular factors that influence their ability to kill cancer cells.
Message To Sponsor
Thank you so much for your support! With your help, I’m able to fully dedicate myself to research this summer and contribute to advancing cancer research through my work. I’m incredibly excited to continue exploring my passion for immunology and cancer biology, and to gain experience that will shape both my time at Berkeley and my future in science and medicine. I’m truly grateful for this opportunity.