Haichang Li, PhD

Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. While immunotherapies have helped some patients, most lung cancers are immunologically "cold"—meaning the immune system fails to recognize and attack them effectively. Our research has established that MG53, a naturally occurring tumor-suppressor protein, powerfully inhibits lung cancer growth. In this project, we will engineer FDA-approved MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccine viruses—to continuously produce MG53 directly within tumors, combining the virus's natural cancer-killing properties with MG53's potent antitumor effects. Because this vaccine virus has an established clinical safety record spanning decades of use in humans, our approach has exceptional potential for rapid translation to patient care. Successful development of this novel therapeutic platform could offer a new hope to patients who have exhausted conventional therapeutic options in lung cancer treatment.