UCL Cancer Institute

Reprogramming T Cells to Cure Cancer

We build new CAR-T cell therapies and take them from the lab to clinical trials

UCL Cancer Institute · London

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01

Synthetic Biology

We design and build novel synthetic receptors, engineered proteins, and genetic circuits to reprogramme T cell function.

02

Bench to Bedside

Our research spans target discovery, receptor engineering, preclinical validation, and translation into clinical trials.

03

Patient-Centred Research

Patients and the public are embedded in our research from the earliest stages, shaping our priorities and direction.

Paul Maciocia and Ciaran Acuna in the lab

Developing curative immunotherapies at the UCL Cancer Institute

The Maciocia Lab is a translational immunotherapy research group focused on developing chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapies for cancers that remain difficult to treat.

CAR-T cell therapy has transformed outcomes for some patients with blood cancers, but major challenges remain. Many patients relapse because CAR-T cells lose function over time, and solid tumours create hostile environments that suppress T cell activity.

Our lab tackles these problems through creative receptor engineering, metabolic reprogramming, novel target discovery, and innovative approaches to generate off-the-shelf therapies.

Learn more about our research →

What We Work On

Selected Publications

2025

TRBC1-CAR T cell therapy in peripheral T cell lymphoma: a phase 1/2 trial

Cwynarski K, Iacoboni G, Tholouli E, ... Maciocia P, Pule M

Nature Medicine

2025

Preclinical development of anti-CD21 CAR T cells for T-ALL

Maciocia N, Hoekx M, ... Maciocia P

Science Translational Medicine

2022

Anti-CCR9 chimeric antigen receptor T cells for T-ALL

Maciocia PM, Wawrzyniecka PA, ... Mansour MR

Blood

2017

Targeting the T cell receptor beta-chain constant region for immunotherapy of T cell malignancies

Maciocia PM, Wawrzyniecka PA, ... Pule MA

Nature Medicine

View all publications →
Cancer Research UK Medical Research Council Blood Cancer UK Great Ormond Street Hospital Charity Children with Cancer UK Lymph & Co