Our Research
In the Roybal Lab, we harness the tools of synthetic and chemical biology to enhance the therapeutic potential of engineered immune cells. We take a comprehensive approach to cellular engineering by developing new synthetic receptors, signal transduction cascades, and cellular response programs to enhance the safety and effectiveness of adoptive cell therapies. We also study the logic of natural cellular signaling systems, and the underlying principles of cellular communication and collective cell behavior during an immune response. These interests are complementary as cell engineering is often informed by knowledge obtained from studying natural mechanisms of cell regulation refined by evolution.
Our Partners
Our People
The Roybal Lab is a dedicated group of students, post-docs, physicians, and staff scientists with diverse backgrounds ranging from basic science to cellular engineering and synthetic immunology. Each member brings expertise in their field to our unique and highly collaborative research environment.
News
Media highlights of Roybal Lab's research.
Stay Updated
Keep up-to-date with the latest research from the Roybal lab.
Exciting new study out now in @CellCellPress from @SpitzerLab @GladstoneInst @UCSF Genomic ...Immunology - Can Lymph Nodes Boost the Success of Cancer Immunotherapy? https://www.ucsf.edu/news/2023/03/424996/lymph-nodes-intact-cancer-immunotherapy
This is why @DevotedHealth is doing so well…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SrK7ZhdjD1s
This lab makes days and nights of work so easy and fun. The motivation, energy, empathy, and, of ...course, mentorship from @KoleRoybal, has been everything for me. Thanks and 🥂 for the year to come.
Recent Lab News
January 2023
This month we welcome our new rotation student Isaac Orr. Isaac is a first year in the Biophysics program, and is interested in immunotherapy, bioengineering, and protein engineering. He’s working closely with Jay Daniels to improve signaling capacities of CAR T cells.
December 2022
December was big month for our CAR signaling domain research group. While many members of the Roybal Lab made a contribution, this project was primarily driven by Dan Goodman, Camillia Azimi, and Kendall Kearns. Together they designed a multiplexed approach to rapidly identify CAR designs with clinical potential, dubbed “CAR-Pooling”. This was a truly challenging effort with impressive results, recently published in Science Translational Medicine.
November 2022
It’s the time of the year when we celebrate the joyous occasion that is Labsgiving! Thank you to Dan Goodman for going all out as host again this year. The new addition of a whisky tasting is a nice twist. We love it when you don’t hold back!
October 2022
October was a big month for CCSF student and Roybal lab summer intern Maria Chirinos. Maria will be traveling overseas to present her work on shRNA mediated T cell activation at the SACNAS National Diversity in STEM conference in San Juan Puerto Rico. This is the largest multidisciplinary and multicultural STEM diversity event in the country, and we are so proud to have here representing the Roybal Lab! But, there’s more…she will also present at ABRCMS in Long Beach this November. Go Maria!