Emily Bhatt

Emily Bhatt has studied novel immune checkpoint combinations beyond CTLA-4 plus PD-1, with particular focus on LAG-3 as a next-generation target for combination with anti-PD-1 therapy in tumors with primary or acquired resistance to PD-1 blockade. Her research contributed to understanding the clinical development of relatlimab plus nivolumab as an LAG-3 plus PD-1 combination, examining its activity in PD-1-naive melanoma and tumors with enriched LAG-3 expression. She has investigated TIM-3 and TIGIT as additional emerging checkpoint targets for combination with PD-1 blockade, examining mechanisms by which these pathways suppress distinct T cell populations and rationale for targeting multiple checkpoints simultaneously. Her translational work on immune cell profiling in tumors and blood has characterized how LAG-3, TIM-3, and TIGIT expression on TILs correlates with response to next-generation IO combinations.