Spring 2026 Grantee Highlight:
Jessica E. Thaxton

Jessica E. Thaxton, PhD, MsCR

Associate Professor of Cell Biology & Physiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

T cells are powerful immune cells that can recognize and destroy cancer, but tumors create an environment that weakens their effectiveness. This project will investigate how changes in the internal architecture of T cells influence their metabolism and function, with the goal of engineering more powerful cancer-fighting CAR-T cells.

The Thaxton lab has uncovered an unexpected reason for this decline. The researchers found that the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), an organelle that produces proteins and fats, changes its shape when T cells encounter tumors. When the ER becomes dominated by flat structures focused on protein production, T cells experience stress and lose the metabolic capacity needed to eliminate tumor cells. In contrast, a more tubular ER supports healthier metabolism and stronger immune function.

Importantly, the team found that the design of CAR-T cells, a promising cancer therapy, influences ER architecture. In this project, they will engineer CAR-T cells to favor distinct ER architectures and determine how these changes affect metabolism, cell state, and tumor-fighting ability. These studies could reveal new strategies to improve CAR-T cell performance against cancer.

Learn more about the Thaxton Lab: https://www.thaxtonimmuno.com/