Biomedical Graduate Studies

Description of Research Expertise

Dr. Daniel J. Powell Jr. is a leading translational immunologist whose work has helped shape the development of cancer immunotherapy, particularly for gynecologic malignancies and other solid tumors. As a faculty member at Penn Medicine, he has played a central role in advancing immune-based approaches that move beyond conventional treatment strategies, with an emphasis on therapies that can be both mechanistically rational and clinically actionable. His lab is known for combining rigorous basic science with a clear translational mission, creating a research program that is deeply rooted in tumor immunology while remaining focused on the needs of patients with difficult-to-treat cancers.

A major strength of Dr. Powell’s program is its breadth across the immunotherapy pipeline. His team has contributed to the development and refinement of adoptive cell therapies, including CAR T cell and T cell receptor-based strategies, as well as cancer vaccination and other immune-directed approaches designed to improve anti-tumor activity in solid tumors. This work has been especially important in cancers such as ovarian and other gynecologic malignancies, where durable responses to immunotherapy remain challenging and where new biological insights are urgently needed. By pursuing both discovery and translation, the lab has helped define new therapeutic concepts while also testing how those concepts can be brought into the clinic.

Dr. Powell’s contributions extend beyond individual projects to include leadership in the field of tumor immunology at Penn and in the broader cancer immunotherapy community. He has helped build and strengthen collaborative research that connects pathology, immunology, and clinical oncology, enabling studies that address tumor biology, immune escape, and treatment resistance in an integrated way. His work has also supported the development of frameworks for evaluating immune responses in human cancer, which is essential for identifying why some therapies succeed while others fail and for designing better next-generation treatments.

The Powell Lab is particularly distinguished by its focus on solid tumor immunotherapy, an area that requires innovative strategies because these cancers often present barriers that are distinct from hematologic malignancies. By studying tumor-specific immune targets, optimizing cellular products, and examining the tumor microenvironment, the lab has contributed to a more precise understanding of how immune therapies can be adapted for solid cancers. In this way, the Powell Lab’s research has helped advance not only specific therapeutic platforms, but also the broader scientific foundation needed to make immunotherapy more effective, more durable, and more widely applicable.

Current Powell Lab Personnel:
- Jiageng Liu, GBE Ph.D. candidate
- Kaya Epstein, Cancer Bio PhD candidate
- Kristy Ma, M.S., Master's student; now PGG PhD candidate
- Isabella Pargiolas, undergraduate student, now PGG PhD candidate
- Dr. Trini Ochoa, PhD, Postdoctoral Researcher
- Dr. Allan Huang, MD, Gyn Onc ResearchFellow
- Dr. Mathilde Poussin PhD, Lab Manager

Previous Lab Members:
- Dr. Savannah Albright, PhD, Postdoctoral Researcher
- Kay Foos, VMD, Ph.D. candidate
- Dr. Vanda Mate MD, Postdoctoral Researcher
- Erica Brown, Ph.D. candidate (GTV)
- Dr. Sarah Gitto, Instructor
- Andrea Lang Goldgewicht, Penn undergrad (MSKCC)
- Dr. Alexander Benton, Ph.D. candidate (GTV) (L.E.K. Consulting)
- Dr. Lauren Shaw, Ph.D. candidate (Pharm) (Carisma)
- Dr. Kiran Madugula, Post-doctoral Investigator
- Dr. Joshua Eggold, Post-doctoral Investigator
- Dr. Veethika Pandey, Post-doctoral Investigator (Incyte)
- Dr. Alba Rodriguez Garcia, Post-doctoral Investigator (IDIBAPS)
- Dr. Anze Smole, Post-doctoral Investigator (NIB)
- Dr. Wei Xie, Visiting Physician Scholar
- Dr. Jie Wang, Hem Onc Fellow, MTR, (Duke)
- Dr. Nicholas Minutolo, PGG Ph.D. candidate (Carisma)
- Dr. Monika Eiva, Cancer Bio Ph.D. candidate (J&J)
- Dr. Degang Song, M.D., Ph.D. (Janssen)
- Dr. Katarzyna Urbanska (BMS)
- Dr. Jessica Chacon, Ph.D. (Merck)
- Dr. Rachel Lynn, Ph.D.(Stanford/Lyell)
- Dr. Jenessa Smith, Ph.D. (Poseida/Arsenal)
- Dr. Keith Schutsky, Ph.D. (BMS)
- Dr. Evripidis Lanitis, Ph.D. (Lausanne, CHUV)
- Dr. Phillip Santoiemma (Northwestern)
- Dr. Caitlin Stashwick (Lancaster County)
- Dr. Xiaojun Xu, M.D.
- Dr. Qunrui Ye, Ph.D.
- Dr. Gen Shen Zhong,M.D.
- Dr. Allison Roy, Ob Gyn Fellow
- Ms. Shree Joshi, (BMS)
- Ms. Prannda Sharma, Project Manager

Description of Clinical Expertise

Translation of T cell based therapies to the clinic, including CAR T cells for ovarian cancer (NCT03585764) and translational lead for immune based therapy trials (NCT02498600)