T cell therapies have shown enormous promise in cancer treatment, but they often fail against solid tumors. This is in part due to exhaustion: T cells gradually lose their ability to persist, multiply, and continue attacking cancer, limiting long-term effectiveness.
Dr. Rashidian’s research centers on a newly discovered signaling system inside T cells that appears to control whether these immune cells remain strong and long-lasting or become exhausted. Early findings suggest this signaling hub coordinates multiple pathways that help T cells maintain stem-like qualities, survive longer, and sustain potent anti-tumor activity. This project will define how the signaling hub functions and why it enables T cells to resist exhaustion even within the hostile environment of solid tumors.
By understanding how durable T cell responses are naturally maintained, this work could guide the development of next-generation immunotherapies capable of producing longer-lasting anti-cancer responses.
Much like the original discovery of immune checkpoints transformed cancer therapy, this newly identified signaling pathway may open an entirely new therapeutic direction for overcoming T cell exhaustion and improving outcomes for patients with solid tumors.
Research Focus
Solid Tumors
Projects and Grants
Discovery of a signaling hub that unlocks durable, exhaustion-resistant anti-tumor T-cell immunity
