Karlo Perica, MD, PhD

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center - 2026

Enhancing allogeneic CAR T persistence through gene engineering 

CAR T cells are an effective treatment for certain blood cancers, but must be custom made for each patient. Off- the-shelf donor CAR T cells could revolutionize cancer treatment but face challenges with persistence. I aim to improve their longevity by gene editing Zeb-family genes. By blocking Zeb2, which limits memory formation, we can boost CAR T cell survival and effectiveness, especially against hard-to-treat solid tumors.