Yutong Guo, PhD, Named 2022 Andrew J. Lockhart Postdoctoral Fellow

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Key Points

  • Dr. Yutong Guo completed her PhD at the Georgia Institute of Technology and will begin her postdoctoral fellowship at Stanford University.
  • She plans to study how focused ultrasound can be combined with CAR T cell therapy to treat aggressive brain tumors, such as glioblastoma.
  • The one-year fellowship was established in January 2021 by the Lockhart family in honor of their son.

Yutong Guo, PhD, has been awarded the 2022 Andrew J. Lockhart Postdoctoral Fellowship in Focused Ultrasound and Immuno-Oncology.

The one-year 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. Guo recently completed her PhD at the Georgia Institute of Technology under the mentorship of Costas Arvanitis, PhD, in the Ultrasound Biophysics and Bioengineering Laboratory. There, her research involved using low-intensity microbubble-enhanced focused ultrasound (MB-FUS) plus nanoparticles to improve the delivery of small interfering RNA in brain tumors. Her studies indicated that the therapy led to a 15-fold higher tumor cell death compared with nanoparticles delivered without MB-FUS. This work was recognized at our recent 8th International Symposium on Focused Ultrasound with a Young Investigator Award.

This January, Dr. Guo will join Dr. Katherine Ferrara’s laboratory at Stanford University, where she plans to expand her research to study how low-intensity MB-FUS can be combined with CAR T cell therapy to treat aggressive brain tumors, such as glioblastoma.

“I am extremely honored and grateful to have been selected to receive the Lockhart fellowship, which will support me to launch my independent academic career and conduct impactful research on the emerging field of ultrasound cancer immunotherapy,” said Dr. Guo.

The Lockhart family established the fellowship in January 2021 in honor of their son, Andrew J. Lockhart, who passed away at the age of 39 from cholangiocarcinoma, a particularly virulent cancer affecting the biliary system of the liver and gallbladder. The Lockhart family are also longtime supporters of the Focused Ultrasound Foundation.

Andrew’s parents, Terry and Gene, said, “We believe it will take collaboration and revolutionary ideas to find effective immunotherapies for hard-to-treat cancers like the one that claimed our son Andrew. Our goal is to encourage a new generation of focused ultrasound researchers, and we are pleased to have Dr. Guo as the latest recipient of this fellowship.”

“Dr. Guo has demonstrated a clear commitment to advancing the development of unique focused ultrasound and immunotherapy combination approaches,” said Jessica Foley, PhD, the Foundation’s chief scientific officer. “This work could ultimately provide new treatments for hard-to-treat cancers, such as glioblastoma, where patients currently lack effective treatment options. We are excited to see what she accomplishes.”