Philly Fights Cancer

In a significant leap forward for immunotherapy, scientists have discovered a safer, more precise way to engineer CAR-T cells—specialized immune cells capable of recognizing and destroying cancer. Traditionally, researchers have relied on CRISPR to modify these cells. While groundbreaking, CRISPR’s method of cutting DNA can sometimes result in unintended consequences, including genomic instability and cellular stress.

Now, researchers are turning to an innovative tool known as a base editor, which allows scientists to make pinpoint changes to DNA without cutting it. This gentler, more exact approach results in CAR-T cells that are stronger, longer-lasting, and less prone to cellular damage. In laboratory models, these refined cells demonstrate enhanced durability and cancer-fighting power—marking a pivotal step toward more reliable, scalable, and patient-safe therapies.

These advancements don’t happen in a vacuum. Breakthroughs like this rely on philanthropic investment to move from the lab to life-saving clinical trials, especially in a landscape where traditional funding can fall short. Philly Fights Cancer is proud to help fill that critical funding gap by supporting revolutionary CAR-T research at the Abramson Cancer Center.

Together, we’re not just imagining a better future for cancer care, we’re building it.

Read more about this research and the future of CAR-T therapies at the link below.

Quadruple adenine base–edited allogeneic CAR T cells outperform CRISPR/Cas9 nuclease–engineered T cells | PNAS