Maziar Divangahi

Maziar Divangahi demonstrated that BCG-induced trained immunity extends beyond circulating monocytes to reprogram hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells in the bone marrow, creating a durable central memory that continuously generates trained myeloid cells with enhanced anti-tumor properties for months to years. His discovery of central trained immunity explained the long-lasting non-specific protective effects of BCG vaccination and provided the mechanistic basis for BCG as cancer immunotherapy in bladder and other cancers. He investigates next-generation BCG formulations optimized for trained immunity induction in cancer patients.