Next Generation approaches to enhance the efficacy of SPEAR T-cells

Jonathan Silk is the Head of Cell Research at Adaptimmune (www.adaptimmune.com), a biotechnology company located in Abingdon and Stevenage, UK, and Philadelphia, PA, USA. Adaptimmune is a world leader in the TCR T-cell therapy space, utilizing engineered Specific Enhanced Affinity T-cell receptor-expressing T-cells (SPEAR T-cells) to target both solid and hematologic cancer types. Jonathan and his team are investigating Next Generation SPEAR T-cells, to improve the function of T-cells for adoptive T-cell therapy, including overcoming immune-resistance mechanisms. Jonathan received his BSc in Biochemistry from the University of Kent at Canterbury (UK), with an industrial placement at Merck Sharp and Dohme (Harlow, UK). He obtained a PhD in Immunology studying at the MRC Clinical Sciences Centre (Imperial College London, UK). Subsequently he worked with Professor Vincenzo Cerundolo at the University of Oxford, UK, as a Post-doctoral Scientist, developing a number of cancer immunotherapy research programmes including the use of ligands for invariant NKT-cells as adjuvants and investigating mechanisms of tumour escape.