Damon Runyon Researchers

Diffuse midline gliomas (DMG) are uniformly fatal pediatric brain cancers in desperate need of novel treatments. Immunotherapies have offered some hope to patients, but durable clinical success remains elusive, highlighting the enormous challenge of selectively targeting these recalcitrant tumors while preserving healthy tissue. Dr. Blumenthal aims to address this need by building immune cell engagers—molecules that enable a patient’s immune cells to recognize and attack their tumor—that are capable of leveraging DMG’s inherent variability and immune defense mechanisms into a therapeutic advantage. He hopes that these innovative drug designs will not only provide superior efficacy against pediatric gliomas but also pave the way for next-generation immunotherapies that better address the dynamic nature of tumor biology. Dr. Blumenthal received his PhD from the University of Washington, Seattle and his BA and BE from Dartmouth College, Hanover.