Arjun Kumar, a Ph.D. student at UW Bioengineering, has been named one of the inaugural recipients of the Pfizer Oncology Fellowship. The new two-year fellowship, financially supported by Pfizer and administered through the UW School of Medicine Office of Research & Graduate Education and the Fred Hutch Cancer Center Office of Education & Training, provides funding and professional development opportunities for promising Ph.D. students pursuing cancer-related research.
Kumar conducts his research in the lab of Hao Yuan Kueh, an associate professor of bioengineering, where he studies the mechanisms of T-cell exhaustion—a condition that occurs when T-cells are chronically exposed to antigens, such cancers or persistent infections. Over time, these T-cells become less effective, showing reduced ability to fight disease and increased expression of molecules that suppress their activity.
The Pfizer Oncology Fellowship Program supports two outstanding predoctoral trainees each year with full stipend, benefits and tuition funding during their third and fourth years of graduate training. Fellows also gain access to mentorship and collaboration opportunities through round table discussions with experts at Pfizer Oncology. “Regular engagement with the Pfizer Oncology team will enable us to thoughtfully translate our work toward patients and extend it to additional treatment formats where Pfizer Oncology has deep expertise,” Kumar notes.
Born and raised in Seattle, Kumar was first introduced to science through outreach programs at UW, Fred Hutch and Seattle Children’s. After spending time in the Bay Area for college and work, he chose to return to UW for graduate school. “I was motivated to return to UW for my Ph.D. thanks to the Seattle scientific community’s commitment to patients and public health,” he says. “I’m interested in immunotherapies and have been inspired by how UW-affiliated faculty and companies have made major contributions in this field.”
Kumar credits his mentor, Professor Kueh, for fostering an environment where big ideas can thrive. “Kueh is the best graduate student mentor I could have hoped for: he’s incredibly dedicated to his students and supports them in pursuing bold ideas,” Kumar says. “This fellowship is just one reflection of the rich and nurturing scientific environment Kueh has created.”
Outside the lab, Kumar enjoys an active and creative lifestyle. A former Japanese taiko drummer who has toured internationally, he now spends his free time running, rock climbing, skiing and attending concerts with friends. He’s also passionate about outreach and social justice, staying involved in mentoring efforts that reflect his commitment to equity in science.
As he continues his graduate work, Kumar looks forward to building on the momentum of this fellowship. “I’m grateful that [Kueh’s] given me the freedom to integrate our efforts in the lab with my own entrepreneurial interests to bring our basic insights closer to patients,” he says.
With the support of the Pfizer Oncology Fellowship, Kumar is poised to continue advancing innovative research that could one day improve outcomes for patients facing cancer.