March 2
@
12:00 PM
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1:00 PM
Revolutionizing Immunotherapy: Bioengineered Immune Organs and Nanoscale Technologies
Ankur Singh, PhD
Carl Ring Family Professor
George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering
Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory Medicine
Director, Center for Immunoengineering at Georgia Tech
Georgia Institute of Technology
Abstract:
The human immune system is a complex and vital defense network, yet its dysfunction underlies many diseases. Developing effective vaccines, immunotherapies, and cell therapies for infections, cancer, inflammation, and age-related conditions requires a deep understanding of how immune cells develop and activate in primary, secondary, and tertiary lymphoid organs. Traditionally limited to in vivo studies and 2D in vitro models, which lack full physiological relevance, research is now advancing with engineered human ex vivo immune organoids. These synthetic tissues mimic the structure and function of natural immune organs, enabling precise control of cellular interactions. My lab focuses on developing such organoids by combining engineered materials with donor-derived immune cells to generate antibody-secreting cells and assess immunogenicity. We are also developing advanced organ-on-a-chip systems with full immunocompetence for use in infection, inflammation, oncology, and drug development, thereby opening new possibilities for groundbreaking therapeutic discoveries. Complementing tissue-scale engineering, I will introduce nanoengineered wire platforms that program naïve T cells without pre-activation through localized delivery of regulatory microRNAs. These nanoscale interfaces rewire T-cell fitness, proliferation, and differentiation, thereby enhancing protective responses and improving the design of adoptive cell therapies. These approaches establish a multi-scale framework for controlling immune cell fate and function. I will conclude by outlining a cohesive, forward-looking vision for Biomedical Engineering, highlighting opportunities for advancing research excellence, educational innovation, and translational impact within a strategic framework.
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