Specializing In:
- Cancer Immunology/Immunotherapy
- T cell-based immunotherapies for cancer, including vaccines, adoptive T cell therapy (ACT)
- Oncolytic virotherapy
Research Interests:
- Engineered T cell therapy
- Adoptive T cell therapy
- Cancer immunotherapy
- Bispecific T cell engagers
- Chimeric antigen receptors
- Tumor microenvironment
Biography
My research is focused on developing novel engineered T cells that employ immune cell engagers (e.g. bispecific T cell engagers) and chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) to allow T cells or other immune cells to be redirected to target tumors and the tumor microenvironment. Specifically, we are exploring multiple strategies of improving both local immune cell engager activity and duration of effective delivery through engineering bispecific T cell engager-secreting T cells for adoptive T cell therapy (J Immunother Cancer 2023), as well as combination therapies aimed at reprograming the tumor microenvironment to promote durable/curative antitumor immune responses (Mol. Ther 2025). Following completion of my PhD (McMaster University) and Postdoctoral training (Roswell Park), I spent time working for a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing cancer immunotherapies before returning to Roswell Park to start my own laboratory.
Positions
Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center
- Assistant Professor of Oncology and Immunotherapy
- Department of Translational Immuno-Oncology
- Department of Immunology
Background
Education and Training
- 2012 - PhD - Infection and Immunity, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
Fellowship
- 2012-2017 - Postdoctoral Fellowship, Center for Immunotherapy at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center
Professional Memberships
- American Association for Cancer Research, AACR (Associate Member)
- Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer, SITC (Member)
Professional Experience
- 2020-Present - Assistant Professor of Oncology, Immunotherapy, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY
- 2019-2020 - HRI Scientist, Center for Immunotherapy, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY
- 2017-2019 - Senior Scientist, Northern Biologics, Toronto, ON
- 2012-2017 - Postdoctoral Fellow, Center for Immunotherapy, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY
Honors & Awards
- 2026 - Invited Speaker, "T cell engager-secreting T cells for adoptive T cell therapy in ovarian cancer: Exploring rational combination approaches," The Ohio State University
- 2025 - Invited Short Talk, TRCCC 2025, "T cell engager-secreting T cells for adoptive cell therapy in ovarian cancer: Rational combination approaches (Presenter)", Translational Research Cancer Centers Consortium
- 2024 - Invited Speaker, “T cell engager-secreting T cells rationally combine with PD-1 blockade and promote remodeling of the local immune landscape to enhance response durability in ovarian cancer," NCI GYN SPORE Meeting,
- 2024 - Invited Speaker and Workshop Leader, “Investigating the Use of T cells Engineered to Secrete T cell Engagers," 6th Annual Cell Engager Summit, Boston, MA, Hanson Wade
- 2023 - Invited Speaker, “T cell engager-secreting T cells as an Adoptive T cell Therapy for Ovarian Cancer: Opportunities to leverage endogenous immunity," Cancer Moonshot Seminar Series (Virtual), NCI
- 2022 - Invited Speaker, “T cell engager-secreting T cells for adoptive T cell therapy: Opportunities for rational therapeutic combination," Upstate NY Immunology Conference, Cooperstown, NY, Upstate NY Immunology
- 2019 - Invited Presenter, “Arming oncolytic viruses to augment the efficacy of immunotherapy in ovarian cancer”, 14th HHMT International Forum on Ovarian Cancer, Surrey, UK
- 2017 - Selected participant/speaker, “Tumor Immune profiling identifies multiple unique therapeutic targets that improve vaccination + oncolytic virotherapy against metastatic ovarian cancer”, 3rd Annual Immuno-Oncology Young Investigators Forum
- 2015 - Awarded Ann Schreiber Mentored Investigator Award by the Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance (OCRA), “Combining oncolytic virotherapy/ACT for ovarian cancer treatment”
- 2013 - Outstanding Thesis Award for PhD Thesis, Faculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON
- 2012 - First Prize, Outstanding Poster Award – Infection and Immunity, Graduate Research Day, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON
- 2011 - Selected to give presentation as part of “Immunotherapy and Immunomodulation” discussion session, Canadian Cancer Research Conference, Toronto, ON
- 2011 - Awarded Poster Prize and selected for Short Talk, Translation Research Cancer Centers Consortium, Seven Springs, PA
Publications
McGray AJR#, Chiello JL, Tsuji T, Long M, Maraszek K, Gaulin N, Rosario SR, Hess SM, Abrams SI, Kozbor D, Odunsi K, Zsiros E. BiTE secretion by adoptively transferred stem-like T cells improves FRα+ ovarian cancer control. J Immunother Cancer. 2023 Jun 23. #Corresponding Author
Chiello JL, Shaikh N, Jacobi J, Gaulin N, Santos G, Keck C, Hess SM, Lichty B, Singh PK,
Rosario SR, Abrams SI, Zsiros E, Long MD#, McGray AJR#. BiTE-secreting T cells rationally combine with PD-1 blockade
and vaccine boosting to reshape antitumor immunity in ovarian cancer. Mol Ther. 2025. #Corresponding Authors
Santos GNDS, DeJohn C, Hess SM, Zsiros E, McGray AJR#. Advancing adoptive T cell therapy in ovarian cancer: barriers, innovations, and emerging platforms. J Immunother Cancer. 2026 Jan 9. #Corresponding Author
McGray AJ, Eppolito C, Miliotto A, Singel KL, Stephenson K, Lugade A, Segal BH, Keler T, Webster G, Lichty B, Kozbor D, Odunsi K. A prime/boost vaccine platform efficiently identifies CD27 agonism and depletion of myeloid-derived suppressor cells as therapies that rationally combine with checkpoint blockade in ovarian cancer. Cancer Immunol
Immunother. 2021 Apr 20; 1-10.
McGray AJ, Huang R, Battaglia S, Eppolito C, Miliotto A, Stephenson K, Lugade A, Webster G, Lichty B, Seshadri M,Kozbor D, Odunsi K. Oncolytic Maraba virus armed with tumor antigen boosts vaccine priming and reveals diverse therapeutic response patterns when combined with checkpoint blockade in ovarian cancer. J Immunother Cancer. 2019
Jul 17; 7(1): 189.