The ImmunoVerse™ Skepticism to Standard of Care: The T-Cell Journey, ft. Dr. James Mulé
Jun 26, 2025
Dr. James Mulé, a leading immunotherapy researcher with three decades at the forefront, joins to reveal the transformative journey of T-cell therapies. He shares how initial skepticism led to pioneering work at the NCI, where he collaborated with legends like Steve Rosenberg. Mulé discusses groundbreaking advances in tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes, their FDA approval, and expanding their application beyond melanoma. He also highlights the potential of engineered immune strategies to tackle challenging cancers like pancreatic cancer, instilling hope in future therapies.
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How A Mentor Set A Career Path
- Dr. James Mulé described joining Fred Hutchinson and being mentored by the Hellstroms, which sparked his tumor immunology career.
- He then joined Steve Rosenberg's lab at NCI for postdoc training that launched his long-term work in T-cell therapy.
From Mouse Studies To Human Gene‑Modified T Cells
- Mulé recalled early mouse studies using IL-2 to expand T cells and the leap to gene-modified human T cells in Rosenberg's group.
- He credits colleagues for pioneering CAR-T and TCR transduction efforts that proved feasibility in humans.
Persist When Science Supports You
- Persist despite skepticism when the science supports your idea, Mulé advised from decades of work under critics.
- He emphasized never giving up and continuing to develop technologies to help patients.
