UCSF Cancer Researcher Awarded Prize for Early Career Scientists

UCSF Health’s Adam Blaisdell, MD, PhD, has been selected as an IGNITE fellow by the Cancer Research Institute (CRI), a New York-based nonprofit that funds and promotes cancer immunotherapy research. The IGNITE Award — Inspiring Growth and Nurturing Independence Through Excellence — is a new initiative designed to provide funding for early-career scientists whose research is focused on cancer immunology and immunotherapy. Blaisdell is one of only nine IGNITE fellows selected for this inaugural award.

Blaisdell’s research project “Enhancing Perforin-Dependent Anti-Tumor Immunity by Exhausted CD8 T Cells” is focused on developing strategies to preserve or restore the tumor-killing capacity of exhausted CD8+ T cells, a type of white blood cell that is critical to helping the immune system kill cancerous cells. Since CD8+ T cell exhaustion is a major barrier to successful cancer immunotherapy, his research seeks to identify novel regulatory pathways in these tumor‑infiltrating cells and exploit them to unleash the full potential of the perforin – a protein that immune cells use to trigger their destruction of cancer cells.

By leveraging these discoveries, Blaisdell plans to advance the design of adoptive cellular therapies (including CAR‑T cells) to equip them with greater potency, broader tumor coverage, and improved tolerability.

“The CRI IGNITE career development award empowers me to advance an innovative immunotherapy strategy that strengthens durable anti‑tumor responses — benefiting my career by creating a clear translational path and benefiting patients by delivering better, longer‑lasting care,” said Blaisdell.

Blaisdell is a physician-scientist and UCSF assistant professor of Medicine, whose clinical practice is focused on caring for patients experiencing immune-related side effects from cancer immunotherapies. He is currently a postdoctoral fellow at UCSF, with funding from a CRI Irvington Postdoctoral Fellowship. He received his MD and PhD from New York University.

The IGNITE Award provides up to 5 years of support, including 2 years of mentored postdoctoral funding, followed by three years of independent faculty support. Blaisdell’s research will be mentored by Averil Ma, MD, the Rainin Distinguished Professor in Inflammatory Bowel Disease and UCSF professor of Medicine.

“CRI has always invested in people whose discoveries redefine what is possible in cancer treatment,” said Alicia Zhou, PhD, CEO of CRI. “Through IGNITE, we’re ensuring the next generation of scientists can stay in the field and lead the future of immunotherapy.”

Blaisdell was previously the principal investigator of “A20 in Cancer Immunity and Regulation of CD8 T Cell Function and Fate” which received support from CRI. The study examined how the intracellular checkpoint A20 orchestrates immune evasion in the tumor microenvironment and how inhibition of A20 might be harnessed to treat cancer.

About the Cancer Research Institute

The Cancer Research Institute, established in 1953, is the preeminent U.S. nonprofit organization dedicated to saving more lives by fueling the discovery and development of powerful immunotherapies for all cancers. Guided by a world-renowned Scientific Advisory Council that includes five Nobel laureates and 35 members of the National Academy of Sciences, CRI has invested over $600 million in support of research conducted by immunologists and tumor immunologists at the world’s leading medical centers and universities and has contributed to many of the key scientific advances that demonstrate the potential for immunotherapy to change the face of cancer treatment. Learn more at www.cancerresearch.org

About UCSF Health

CSF Health is recognized worldwide for its innovative patient care, reflecting the latest medical knowledge, advanced technologies and pioneering research. It includes the flagship UCSF Medical Center, which is a highly-ranked hospital, as well as UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals, with campuses in San Francisco and Oakland; two community hospitals, UCSF Health Stanyan Hospital and UCSF Health Hyde Hospital; Langley Porter Psychiatric Hospital; UCSF Benioff Children’s Physicians; and the UCSF Faculty Practice. These hospitals serve as the academic medical center of the University of California, San Francisco, which is world-renowned for its graduate-level health sciences education and biomedical research. UCSF Health has affiliations with hospitals and health organizations throughout the Bay Area. Visit http://www.ucsfhealth.org/. Follow UCSF Health on Facebook, Threads or LinkedIn.