Melita Irving | Group Leader
University of lausanne

Dr. Melita Irving is a Group Leader at the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research at the University of Lausanne, where she leads a research program focused on T-cell engineering for cancer immunotherapy. Her work aims to optimize both viral and non-viral gene engineering methods and develop strategies to improve the efficacy and safety of T cells targeting solid tumors. Her lab has developed innovative remote-controlled CAR T-cell designs that can be activated or silenced with small molecules, as well as combinatorial and co-engineering approaches to enhance T-cell function, remodel the tumor microenvironment, and engage endogenous immunity. Originally from Canada, Dr. Irving received her Ph.D. from Simon Fraser University, where she studied the design of peptide vaccines to elicit broadly neutralizing antibodies against rapidly evolving pathogens. She has been based in Switzerland since 2007, working at the intersection of immunology, genetic engineering, and translational oncology.