Dr. Matt Witkowski is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus. Dr. Witkowski holds a PhD from the University of Melbourne/Walter and Eliza Hall Institute and was a Postdoctoral Fellow at Aifantis laboratory, Department of Pathology, New York University School of Medicine. He has been committed to understanding blood malignancies, particularly high-risk pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Utilizing a novel reversible RNAi approach, Dr. Witkowski uncovered a critical role for IKAROS/Ikaros in the maintenance and treatment resistance of both T-cell and B-cell ALL. His postdoctoral work provided novel insights into the role of microenvironment in ALL pathogenesis and treatment responsiveness. Currently, his research group is focused on investigating the precise function of leukemia-associated immune microenvironment in supporting B-ALL survival and in establishing new immune-based therapeutic approaches to improve the efficacy of conventional B-ALL therapies through modulation of B-ALL antigen abundance.
Interview by Gabriela Rocío Zamora Herrera – Immunopaedia Ambassador