Hannah Bell, PhD, Postdoctoral Fellow University of Michigan Area of Research: All Cancers Hannah Bell, PhD, is a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Michigan, where she investigates novel mechanisms of immune-mediated tumor cell death. Inspired by her sister’s battle with muscular dystrophy, Dr. Bell pursued a career in biomedical research, earning her PhD in Cellular and Molecular Biology at the University of Michigan. Her doctoral work, funded by an NCI F30 award, uncovered key metabolic interactions between bacteria and tumor cells, leading to multiple high-impact publications. With a passion for tumor immunology, she joined the lab of Dr. Weiping Zou to explore T cell proteases and alternative pathways of immune cell cytotoxicity. “My time in Dr. Zou’s laboratory has solidified my desire to pursue a career as an academic lab head,” she explains, envisioning a future research program dedicated to enhancing immune-mediated killing of tumor cells. Dr. Bell’s current research focuses on perforin, a critical protein in T cell-mediated tumor killing, and its unexpected role in triggering ferroptosis—a form of iron-dependent programmed cell death. Her work suggests that perforin increases intracellular iron levels in tumor cells, inducing ferroptosis and enhancing anti-tumor immunity. Through genetic, pharmacologic, and bioinformatic approaches, she aims to define the molecular mechanisms of this process and assess its impact on metastasis and immunotherapy resistance. By characterizing this novel function of perforin, her research holds potential for developing new therapeutic strategies that leverage ferroptosis to improve cancer treatment outcomes. With an extensive track record of high-impact publications, national conference presentations, and institutional fellowships, Dr. Bell is dedicated to advancing the field of tumor immunology. Supported by the Cancer Research Institute postdoctoral fellowship, her work will help bridge fundamental immunology with translational applications, ultimately shaping the future of immune-based cancer therapies. Projects and Grants Beyond Iysis: Deciphering the role of perforin-mediated ferroptosis in anti-tumor immunity University of Michigan | All Cancers | 2025 | Weiping Zou, MD, PhD
