Andras A. Heczey, MD

Dr. Andras Heczey's research focuses on developing novel treatments for children with solid tumors by redirecting the immune system to attack and kill cancer cells by using genetically-engineered T cells and Natural Killer T cells.

As the Director of the Liver Tumor Center, Dr. Heczey developed a strategy to target hepatoblastoma and hepatocellular carcinoma with genetically-engineered T lymphocytes. He is currently optimizing this strategy for a smooth transition into the clinic. He developed bispecific T cell engagers and chimeric antigen receptors which specifically target hepatoblastoma and hepatocellular carcinoma when expressed in T cells. His goal is to cure all patients with liver cancers by translating these methods from the laboratory setting to the patient care clinic. He was the corresponding author of Glypican-3-specific CAR T cells co-expressing IL15 and IL21 have superior expansion and antitumor activity against hepatocellular carcinoma, one of the most highly cited Cancer Immunology Research articles published in 2020 and 2021.

In regards to neuroblastoma, Dr. Heczey studied and published the first adoptive immunotherapy approach utilizing Natural Killer T cells (NKT cells) that are genetically-modified to attack neuroblastoma. He aims to transition this approach from bench-to-bedside as a Phase 1/2a clinical trial.