Evan Abt, PhD
Adjunct Assistant Professor, Department of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology, UCLA
Leveraging T Cell Responses Unleashed by Adenosine-Targeting Immunotherapy in Pancreatic Cancer
Project Summary:
Evan Abt, PhD, is a researcher in the Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics at UCLA. His work focuses on understanding how the tumor microenvironment suppresses the immune system and developing strategies to restore anti-tumor immunity in pancreatic cancer. Targeting pancreatic cancer’s resistance to immunotherapy allows for novel new therapies and treatment options.
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) tumors use a molecule called adenosine to suppress the immune system, specifically T cells, and avoid detection. Building on discoveries from his postdoctoral work, Dr. Abt and UCLA investigators have launched a first-of-its-kind clinical trial combining a CD73 inhibitor (which blocks adenosine production) with chemotherapy and immunotherapy. His research seeks to reinvigorate tumor-specific T cells and enhance their ability to recognize and attack pancreatic tumors. This study could identify new therapeutic targets that complement existing immunotherapies and lead to more durable treatment responses for patients.
With support from the Catalyst Grant Program, Dr. Abt is analyzing patient samples from this trial to understand how blocking adenosine affects T cell activity, immune memory, and treatment response. His team is also using innovative UCLA-developed nanotechnology to isolate and study tumor-specific T cells with unprecedented precision.
This research could identify new biomarkers of response and guide the development of next-generation immunotherapies that harness the body’s natural defenses to fight pancreatic cancer.
