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Stephan
Matthias Stephan, MD, PhD
- Professor, Translational Science and Therapeutics Division, Fred Hutch
- Member, Immunotherapy Integrated Research Center (IIRC), Fred Hutch
- Professor, Division of Hematology and Oncology, University of Washington School of Medicine
- Adjunct Assistant Professor, Bioengineering, University of Washington
Background
Dr. Matthias Stephan is an expert in immunobioengineering, a discipline that marries innovative materials engineering with strategies for improving immune-based therapies. He and his team are developing new approaches involving “smart” synthetic materials to boost the body’s natural ability to fight cancer. He developed a biodegradable sponge-like scaffold that can be loaded with cancer-fighting immune cells and immune-boosting drugs, then surgically implanted to help prevent disease recurrence or treat a tumor that cannot be safely removed. With Fred Hutch colleagues, Dr. Stephan is now developing and testing scaffolds to treat breast, ovarian, pancreatic and brain cancers. He is also developing nanoparticles to improve the curative power of an immunotherapy called T-cell therapy. For example, he is crafting nanoparticles to deliver molecules that would prime tumors for the therapy by shutting down their ability to evade or block the incoming T-cells.
Allen Distinguished Investigator, The Paul G. Allen Frontiers Group
Education
Postdoctoral Training, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2008-2012
PhD, Cornell University, 2008
MD, Medical University of Luebeck, 2002
Clinical Fellowship, Imperial College, 2000