Anna Bhatt

Anna Bhatt investigates the immunological mechanisms by which image-guided tumor ablation can trigger systemic anti-tumor immunity at the NIH. Her research has characterized how different ablation modalities (thermal, cryo, IRE) generate distinct damage-associated molecular patterns that activate innate immune sensing. She identified combination regimens pairing ablation with checkpoint inhibitors that produce abscopal responses in preclinical models. Her translational work is informing the design of IO trials incorporating ablation as an in situ vaccination strategy.