Adelheid Cerwenka

Adelheid Cerwenka demonstrated how tumors evade NKG2D-mediated NK cell recognition through proteolytic shedding of MICA/MICB ligands and release of soluble NKG2D decoys that downregulate NKG2D expression on effector cells, identifying key mechanisms of immune escape in the tumor microenvironment. Her research on NK cell exhaustion in solid tumors revealed that chronic NKG2D stimulation induces a dysfunctional state analogous to T cell exhaustion, with therapeutic implications for reinvigorating innate anti-tumor responses. She develops strategies to stabilize NKG2D ligands on tumor surfaces and prevent immune evasion.