Liam Hendrikse, PhD, CRI Immuno-Informatics Fellow University Health Network (Canada) Area of Research: Leukemia, Lymphoma, Multiple Myeloma Dr. Hendrikse is developing a novel immunotherapy aimed at overcoming resistance in blood cancers. His project focuses on a unique subset of immune cells called γδ T cells, which have the ability to recognize cancer-associated molecules that are overlooked by current therapies relying on αβ T cell receptors (TCRs) or chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) to target cancer cells. Using advanced computational algorithms, Dr. Hendrikse plans to identify γδ TCRs capable of targeting these resistant cancer cells. His research aims to create predictive models and computer algorithms to tailor therapies for patients with blood cancers who have failed existing treatments. Dr. Hendrikse’s research journey began during his undergraduate years, where he made a groundbreaking discovery of a new herpes virus in Canada lynx, leading to his first publication. This early success sparked his passion for research, which grew through his PhD work on childhood brain cancer at the Hospital for Sick Children. His findings, published in Nature, revealed a novel mutation linked to medulloblastoma and a unique genetic mechanism behind tumor initiation. “I couldn’t save my grandmother, but I hope my research will lead to therapies that could save others,” says Dr. Hendrikse. His work has the potential to revolutionize treatments for blood cancers and improve outcomes for patients who have exhausted all other options. Projects and Grants Identification of Tumor-Reactive γδ T Cell Receptors to Treat Blood Cancers University Health Network | Blood Cancers | 2025 | Tak Mak, PhD, and Trevor Pugh, PhD
