Johnna Temenoff, director of the NSF Engineering Research Center for Cell Manufacturing Technologies (CMaT), was featured in the latest episode of Holy Shift!, a podcast from the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory University on the latest news and breakthroughs in the field of biomedical research and engineering.

Joined by host Angela Gill Nelms, Temenoff discussed her work in finding ways to optimize therapeutic cancer cell research in developing innovative and accessible cancer treatments. Her research focuses on immunotherapy, where scientists will train a cancer patient's cells to fight back against cancer. However, the scale of implementing this type of treatment is limited, so Temenoff and her lab aim to expand the scope of research and accessibility for cell therapy. 

Temenoff discussed her work to improve the manufacturing process of this research. High manufacturing costs and complex production processes have limited patient access. Through her work with CMaT, Temenoff and her collaborators are developing ways to grow larger quantities of therapeutic cells while maintaining their quality and effectiveness. A key part of this work involves creating the right environment for cells to grow, as well as developing more efficient processes.

By improving how therapeutic cells are produced, stored, and distributed, researchers hope to reduce costs and expand access to treatments. Researchers across the center are exploring applications in a variety of areas, including blood cancer, cardiovascular conditions, bone marrow-related diseases, and regenerative medicine.

Temenoff also discussed the importance of looking beyond the laboratory when considering the future of cell therapy, as collaboration across disciplines is needed for broader accessibility. From ensuring that cells maintain their quality throughout production and transportation to addressing the financial and logistical challenges of delivering treatments, these factors all play a role in bringing innovative therapies to patients.

Through this work, Temenoff and the broader CMaT research community are addressing one of the most important challenges in advanced medicine, ensuring that promising cell-based treatments can move beyond the laboratory and reach the patients who need them.

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