Hometown: Candia, New Hampshire
Faculty mentor: George Weiner, MD, professor, Department of Internal Medicine, Carver College of Medicine
Degree program and anticipated graduation date: PhD in biomedical science (cancer biology), May 2026

Immunotherapy, treatment that harnesses the body’s immune system to combat cancer, is considered a breakthrough yet is ineffective for many patients. Travis Fischer explores how a certain type of immunotherapy called in situ immunization activates the body’s immune cells with a virus-like particle, leading to an anti-cancer response. Fischer examines how this agent activates and enhances T cells, a crucial type of immune cell that can directly target and destroy cancer cells. Improving immunotherapies could lead to more effective personalized treatments, with fewer side effects than chemotherapy or radiation, offering hope for patients with hard-to-treat cancers.

After graduating, Fischer plans to continue working in cancer immunology research, either in academia or the biotech industry, with a focus on developing innovative cancer therapies to improve patient outcomes.

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