Key Points
- Dr. Batts’ research combines gene and cell therapies with focused ultrasound devices to transform cancer treatment.
- The fellowship was established through the generosity of Terry and Gene Lockhart in honor of their son, Andrew.
Alec J. Batts, PhD, has been awarded the Andrew J. Lockhart Postdoctoral Fellowship in Focused Ultrasound and Immuno-Oncology. Dr. Batts received his PhD in biomedical engineering from Columbia University.
During his PhD, Dr. Batts invented and patented portable, bedside transcranial therapeutic ultrasound systems that enabled noninvasive gene delivery to the brain. In a highly translational study, treatment with these devices elicited up to 200-fold enhancement in viral gene therapy delivery compared to systemic administration alone, which could have profound implications for patients afflicted by inherited neurological disorders.
The one-year Andrew J. Lockhart Postdoctoral fellowship is designed for early-career researchers as a way for the Foundation to cultivate the next generation of investigators who could advance the development and clinical adoption of focused ultrasound in immuno-oncology.
Dr. Batts is currently pursuing postdoctoral research in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Virginia with advisors Natasha D. Sheybani, PhD, and Richard J. Price, PhD. He is leading a translational research project integrating focused ultrasound with CAR-T cell therapy and non-viral gene delivery platforms to improve therapeutic delivery and efficacy in glioblastoma and other brain tumors.
Over the next three to five years, Dr. Batts’ research will focus on integrating next-generation, scalable non-viral gene and cell therapy technologies with accessible focused ultrasound devices to increase the safety, accessibility, and modularity of cancer therapy.
“I am incredibly honored to receive the Lockhart Fellowship and am especially grateful for the support of the Focused Ultrasound Foundation and Lockhart family,” said Dr. Batts. “I have made a deliberate return to the University of Virginia and immuno-oncology research space where I began my research career to unravel the research questions which matter most to me and to develop combination therapies for brain cancer with the most advanced technical therapeutic ultrasound and biological tools available. There is an exciting shared momentum here for translating ultrasound–facilitated cancer therapies that can actually make it to patients, and the support provided by this fellowship will move us one step closer to making this a reality.”
“Dr. Batts exemplifies the curiosity, ingenuity, and patient-focused drive that define the spirit of the Lockhart Fellowship,” said Lauren Hadley, MD, MBA, director of the Foundation’s Scholars Program. “His longstanding commitment to advancing focused ultrasound demonstrates a clear vision for impact. We are proud to support his work at the University of Virginia, where he will develop innovative focused ultrasound and gene and cell therapy platforms that have the potential to transform outcomes for patients with brain cancer.”
The Andrew J. Lockhart Postdoctoral Fellowship was established in 2021 with support from Terry and Gene Lockhart, longtime champions of the Foundation. The fellowship honors their son, Andrew J. Lockhart, who passed away in 2016 at age 39 from cholangiocarcinoma, an aggressive and deadly cancer that affects the biliary system of the liver and gallbladder.
The Lockharts expressed their sentiments, stating, “We firmly believe that it will require collaboration and groundbreaking ideas to unearth effective immunotherapies for aggressive cancers, such as the one that claimed our beloved son, Andrew. Our objective is to inspire a new generation of focused ultrasound researchers, and we are delighted to have Dr. Batts as the latest recipient of this distinguished fellowship.”
Previous recipients of the Andrew J. Lockhart Postdoctoral Fellowship are Chulyong Kim, PhD, Jacob Young, MD, Yutong Guo, PhD, and Caitlyn Tydings, MD.