Dr. Peter Chockley has been studying Natural Killer (NK) cells for over a decade and has made critical insights into NK cell immunosurveillance and the underlying mechanisms therein. The overarching goal of the lab is to discover novel receptor biology to rationally design synthetic proteins to augment NK cell function. He has patented and published works in numerous high-impact journals such as Nature Biotechnology, Nature Genetics, Blood, and The Journal of Clinical Investigation.
More about the lab
Therapeutic use of NK cells is a burgeoning field that is rapidly gaining footholds in academia and industry alike. However, there is a disconnect with co-opting and understanding basic properties of NK cells to function in tandem with genetic modifications. Research in the lab explores the unknown facets of NK cell recognition and signal integration of activating and inhibitory receptors upon interacting with cancer cells. We hypothesize that these efforts will further define and re-define the current landscape of cancer to NK cell interactions. Unraveling these immunosurveillance recognition intricacies will aid in the development of specific and potent NK cell-based therapeutics. Given the clinical importance of this work, we actively collaborate with academic and industry partners to support and translate NK cell-based therapeutics into the clinic.