dr. Lisa Anna King

Research: Organoid-based models to study airway immunity

My research focuses on spheroid-based in vitro 3D models that incorporate primary nasal epithelial cells, collected using minimally invasive methods, together with autologous immune cells. These 3D models can be successfully infected with Influenza and respiratory syncytial virus in order to study antiviral responses.
Our in vitro 3D models allow mechanistic studies of nasal mucosal immunity, host responses to infection and epithelial-immune interactions, as well as how these processes are influenced by aging, vaccination, and respiratory viral infections.

Curriculum Vitae

I obtained my PhD at Vrije Universiteit (VU) Amsterdam in collaboration with LAVA Therapeutics, under the supervision of Prof. Dr. van der Vliet and Prof. Dr. de Gruijl. My doctoral research focused on the development of Vγ9Vδ2 T cell–based cancer immunotherapies, including EGFR, PSMA and PD-L1-targeting bispecific Vδ2 T cell engagers, and involved the use of tumor-derived spheroid cultures. This translational research contributed to the initiation of two clinical studies.