Erika Pearce

Erika Pearce demonstrated that memory T cell formation requires a metabolic switch from glycolysis to fatty acid oxidation and mitochondrial spare respiratory capacity, and that promoting this metabolic program in tumor-specific T cells enhances their persistence and anti-tumor efficacy in adoptive cell therapy. Her discovery that mitochondrial cristae remodeling through OPA1-dependent fusion determines T cell metabolic fitness and longevity revealed structural organelle changes as therapeutic targets for improving cancer immunotherapy outcomes. She develops metabolic conditioning protocols for CAR-T cells and TILs that enhance their mitochondrial function and anti-tumor durability.