On March 30th, 2026, Cell published new research co-authored by AFAR Grantee Zeda Zhang, PhD, on a novel method of Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-cell (CAR T) therapy using urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (uPAR) to target both solid tumor cells and their supportive stromal microenvironment.
Dr. Zhang is a 2021 Glenn Foundation for Medical Research Postdoctoral Fellowships in Aging Research recipient.
In a related Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center news article, Dr. Zhang spoke on the findings: “Our work shows uPAR marks not only malignancy, but also the broader ecosystem that supports cancer — a feature that sets uPAR apart from other cell-surface targets.”
Read “A convergent uPAR-positive tumor ecosystem creates broad vulnerability to CAR T cell therapy” here.
