Abstract: Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell (Ipsc) technology enables the generation and study of living brain tissue relevant to Parkinson's disease (PD) ex vivo. Utilizing cell lines from PD patients presents a powerful discovery system that links cellular phenotypes observed in vitro with real clinical data. Differentiating patient-derived iPSCs towards a dopaminergic (DA) neural fate revealed that these cells exhibit molecular and functional properties of DA neurons in vitro that are observed to significantly degenerate in the substantia nigra of PD patients. Clinical symptoms that drive the generation of other relevant cell types may also yield novel PD-specific phenotypes in vitro that have the potential to lead to new therapeutic avenues for patients with PD.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides in vitro methods for predicting a compound's ability to inhibit multinucleate cell production resulting from post-mitotic cell fusion during a process of Daughter Number Variation (DNV) in mitosis. Compounds identified by this method can be used in cancer treatment, either alone or in combination with other known cancer drugs. The present invention also provides methods of personalized cancer treatment for a patient having a malignant tumor.

Abstract: Masked chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) constructs comprising an extracellular antigen binding domain specific tyrosine-protein kinase-like 7 (PTK7), which is linked to a mask peptide that blocks binding of masked CAR from binding to PTK7. Also provided herein are genetically engineered T cells expressing a masked CAR specific to PTK7 and therapeutic uses thereof.

Abstract: A single-chain variable fragment (ScFv) derived from anti-c-Met monoclonal antibody MetMAb that specifically binds to c-Met receptor is provided. Also provided are chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) vectors including the ScFv, human T cells transduced with the disclosed CAR vectors, pharmaceutical compositions including the CAR T cells, ScFv fusion proteins, and methods of treating a c-Met-positive cancer or a cancer characterized by overexpression of c-Met in a subject in need thereof by administering an effective amount of the disclosed CAR T cells.

Abstract: The present application is directed to methods and compositions that are useful for reducing the number of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSC), tumor associated macrophages (TAM), or both in a subject. The methods include administering an antigen binding protein that binds to an antigen expressed by MDSC and/or TAM, or administering a modified T cell or NK-92 cell that expresses an antigen binding protein that binds to an antigen expressed by MDSC and/or TAM, or a combination of both, to a subject. For example, the antigen binding protein can bind to CD33 expressed by MDSC and/or TAM. The methods and compositions are useful for treating a disease associated with MDSC and/or TAM infiltration into a tissue or tumor.