Makala Faniel

BioE PhD Proposal Presentation

Wednesday, September 9th, 2026, at 10:30 am

Location: Kendeda 118 Seminar Room

Teams Link: https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/241560061777867?p=SdsN4kN3cJ3NXhCVck

Advisor:

Dr. Cheng Zhu, Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering

Committee Members:

Dr. Edward Botchwey, Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering

Dr. Gabriel Kwong, Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering

Dr. Alexander Vlahos, Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering

Dr. Milos Aleksic, Immunocore

Defining How Force Regulates T Cell Activation in Cancer

T cells play a central role in the immune system's ability to recognize and eliminate cancer cells. However, tumors can evade immune destruction through mechanisms that suppress T-cell activation and function within the tumor microenvironment. Recent studies have shown that mechanical forces transmitted through receptor-ligand interactions are critical regulators of T-cell activation, yet the role of these force-dependent mechanisms in cancer remains incompletely understood. This proposal seeks to define how mechanical forces regulate T-cell behavior in cancer across three contexts: engineered activation through bispecific T-cell engagers (BiTEs), suppression and restoration of force-dependent signaling within the tumor microenvironment, and co-agonist-mediated antigen recognition. Using single-molecule and cellular mechanobiology techniques including micropipette adhesion frequency assays, biomembrane force probe measurements, and super-resolution imaging approaches, this work will characterize how force-dependent receptor interactions influence T-cell activation and function. These studies will provide new mechanistic insight into T-cell mechanotransduction and may inform the development of improved cancer immunotherapies.