Holehouse and Emenecker have received a grant through Siteman to improve CAR-T cells, an anti-cancer therapy in which immune cells are genetically modified to attack tumor cells. A key protein on the surface of CAR-T cells contains a disordered region that guides the cell’s attack response. Until now, scientific efforts to improve its performance in destroying cancer cells have been conducted largely by trial and error. This work directly contributes to Holehouse, Emenecker and Sukenik’s ongoing work as part of a larger National Science Foundation initiative to engineer more environmentally resilient crops. WashU Medicine physicians also treat patients at BJC’s community hospitals in our region.