Archana Thakur

Archana Thakur is an Associate Professor in the Department of Medicine, specializing in Hematology and Oncology at the University of Virginia. Her academic journey includes a Master’s degree in Biological Sciences from Bhopal University and a PhD from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences. Additionally, she completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the Free University of Berlin.12

Research Focus

Dr. Thakur's research primarily concentrates on developing innovative therapeutic approaches aimed at enhancing clinical and anti-tumor immune responses. Her work involves creating strategies to counteract immune suppression within tumor microenvironments, which is crucial for improving cancer treatments. Specifically, her research explores the use of bispecific antibodies to arm activated T cells, facilitating targeted tumor cell lysis while minimizing adverse effects like cytokine release syndrome.14

Key Contributions

• Tumor Targeting Strategy: Dr. Thakur's team investigates how T cells armed with bispecific antibodies can effectively kill tumor cells and modify the tumor microenvironment to promote long-term immune responses.
• Immune Correlative Studies: She has developed a co-culture system to study immune responses, which helps in monitoring humoral immune activity and understanding T-cell and B-cell interactions.13

Contact Information

• Email: at2fx@hscmail.mcc.virginia.edu
• Phone: 434-243-1397
• Office Location: 1300 Jefferson Park Avenue, Charlottesville, VA 22903.13

Dr. Thakur's contributions to cancer immunotherapy are significant, positioning her as a key figure in advancing therapeutic strategies against solid tumors.