Awarded in 2025
Home Department: Chemical Engineering
Faculty Advisors: Jennifer Cochran (Bioengineering) and Peter Jackson (Microbiology & Immunology and Pathology)

Research Title: Reprogramming Lung Cancer Through Targeted Modulation of Secreted Signals

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is an aggressive disease often driven by genetic mutations that promote uncontrolled cell proliferation and invasion. Although therapies targeting these driver mutations initially show promise, tumors frequently develop resistance, emphasizing the need for new treatment strategies. Using proteomics, the Cochran and Jackson labs have identified novel secreted proteins that foster growth and metastasis of NSCLC. Matthew aims to investigate how these proteins signal in NSCLC and to develop monoclonal antibody therapies that block their activity, ultimately advancing new treatment strategies for drug-resistant lung tumors.